


Ring-A-Ding-Ding

by RainFox88



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Action/Adventure, Battle for New Vegas, Caesar's Legion, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Faction vs Faction, Language, Mojave Wasteland (Fallout), NCR | New California Republic, Revenge, Romance, Securitrons, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-14 19:12:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 90,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15395529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainFox88/pseuds/RainFox88
Summary: Chloe's first delivery as a courier in the Mojave Wasteland gets her a bullet to the head, and a battle for answers. She seeks out the man who shot her, only to get caught up in something much bigger than she ever expected. F-CourierxBenny, CassxBoone.





	1. Prologue

# Ring-A-Ding-Ding

### Prologue

Chloe didn't remember much after the blow to her head. She just remembered getting intercepted on her route to New Vegas from Primm. All she could recall was that she was somewhere on I-15, near Goodsprings. A group of Great Khans, but also a man that stood out from them, had surrounded her with weapons that made her forget about the peashooter she had on her waist. Chloe should have taken the Sheriff's advice and brought along more firepower, maybe even a mercenary. But who the hell would want the oversized platinum chip she was carrying to the big city? It wasn't worth anything...

Her eyes slowly fluttered open, voices echoing around her and making her head ache some more. She could hear dirt being scraped away as someone dug a hole. Her blurry vision slowly cleared, and she could see a Khan digging a hole not far from her. She tried to focus on the voices, hear what they were saying and what they sounded like. Her body ached all over as she tried to move. The smell of fresh dirt and cigarette smoke stung her nose as she forced her limbs to move.

"You got what you were after! So pay up!" A man said.

She heard a soft chuckle, and she recognized the voice that answered. "You're crying in the rain, pally."

By this time, Chloe was able to get to her knees. Her wrists were bind with rope. She tried to pull them apart, but the rope only dug into her skin more. She kept blinking, watching as her vision cleared and cleared. The twilight had long vanished from when she was last conscious, and now a black sky full of bright stars ran the length of the Mojave sky.

"Aw, look who's wakin' up over here," another male's voice chuckled.

It was useless to keep fighting the rope. Chloe peered up to the men who did this to her. Her heart jolted as she recognized the faces that ambushed her on her courier route. There were three Great Khans. One was digging the grave not far from her left. She realized she was in some kind of cemetery. The three other Khans stood around the man in the checkered suit…the man that had smooth talked her earlier before a striking pain to the back of her head knocked her out cold. He was smoking a cigarette, and grinning down at her. They had torches lit to see out here in the vast darkness. In the distance, a pack of coyotes yowled an off-tune song.

The man in the white and black checkered jacket tossed the cigarette down to the ground after one last drag, grinding it into the dirt with his boot. "Time to cash out."

Chloe knew this was bad, but she didn't quite feel afraid. Her instincts were screaming to be scared, but she was more confused than anything.

He took a step towards her. The Khan on his right heaved an annoyed sigh, seeming to be more nervous to Chloe compared to the others.

"Just do it already!" he snapped.

The suave talker held up his hand to silence the bigger man. "Maybe Khans kill people without looking them in the face," he said, his eyes going from her to glance slightly at the bigger, dark-skinned Khan. "But I ain't a fink, dig?"

Chloe tried to talk, but her throat was so dry. She tried to figure out what exactly was going on here. She knew she was about to be killed, and still she wasn't afraid, still only confused. She knew the man in the checkered suit knew something about the platinum chip that she didn't, but why did he have to kill her for it?

He reached into his jacket, pulling out that platinum chip that she could have swore was worthless. Her head pulsed in pain. He showed her the chip, a metallic shine bouncing off the torches and burning her eyes.

"You made your last delivery, baby," he told her gently.

 _Actually, it was only my first…_ she had tried to speak those words, but they only came out as thought.

"I'm sorry you got twisted up in this scene," the man in the checkered jacket said, putting the chip up. He then pulled out a handgun, and it was then that fear finally struck Chloe. The gleaming pistol went down to his side, and she looked back up into his dark eyes. She saw him pull back the hammer to cock the gun, its soft clicking seemingly to echo in her ears.

He gave her a look as though he should explain. "From where you're kneeling, it must seem like an 18 karat run of bad luck." He slowly aimed the pistol at her. Chloe swallowed, trying to speak but everything was spinning right now. "Truth is…the game was rigged from the start."

Chloe knew what was about to happen, and yet she didn't close her eyes. One last look into her killer's eyes, and then she heard the blast and the fire from the shot blinded her. Everything went black, no pain, no nothing. Only a cold darkness swept over her, taking her into some kind of oblivion that was full of numb shadow.


	2. Ain't That a Kick in the Head?

### Chapter 1: Ain't That a Kick in the Head?

The rifle quivered in the ten-year-old girl's hands as she aimed down the hill at the radscorpion. It was her first time to hold a firearm, and she was nervous. Chloe glanced up to her father for reassurance. He nodded down at her with a warm smile. He helped her straighten her pose, and then pointed down at the large, skittering scorpion.

"You got it. Now look down the barrel and let the scope line up. Aim for the radscorpion and pull the trigger," he told her.

Chloe found the faith there in his eyes. His stood beside her in his usual mercenary attire and rawhide cowboy hat. His dark mustache fit well with his white smile and green eyes.

She found the confidence she needed from him. She took the shot after adjusting her sights. With a powerful blow, the radscorpion was killed instantly down the hill. A sharp gust of wind swept by them, and Chloe grinned happily that she aced the shot.

"That's my girl!" Dad laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "Not bad for a first-timer, huh?"

"I have a good teacher!" Chloe replied, grinning up at him.

"Well, I should hope that your old man still has some moves," he chuckled. He then grew quiet and frowned, kneeling down so he could talk face to face with his young daughter. "I won't always be here to protect you…and…I think I have sheltered you too much for the kind of world this place really is. That is why I am teaching you these things now. You've seen plenty on some of the jobs I have taken on, and now you need to learn firsthand how to defend yourself."

Chloe nodded, frowning and glancing down at the light rifle. She then perked up, smiling up at him. "You think that once I get good enough, I can be your partner in your jobs? We can be a father and daughter mercenary team!"

"I think I can go for that," he answered, dipping his head and ruffling her brunette hair. "You still have some years t'go. You're still a kid."

"Yeah, yeah, you say that all the time," she grumbled, kicking the arid dirt.

"Okay, so let's recap. What have you learned today?"

"That radscorpions are scary?"

Her father chuckled, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Honey, those have been babies. I would hate for you to have to see the big ones if you are going to say that."

Her eyes grew wide. "How big do they get?"

Dad heaved a sigh. "Well, the important thing is that you have learned the most vital areas on various wildlife. A quick kill is the best one to make."

"So, shooting a person in the head is the quickest way?" Chloe asked nervously, lowering her eyes for a moment. The rifle suddenly felt heavy in her small arms. "I've seen you do that a lot on raiders and stuff."

Her father was quiet for a moment and then he slowly nodded. "Yes. I was hoping to save that for a later date, but yes…if you're ever attacked by another person and there is no way to get out of that fight, you make sure you shoot them in the head. Call it a…guarantee kill."

Chloe took his advice in, knowing she would need this in the future with or without him. She was really close to him, her mother having died when she was even younger. Not that Chloe had been close to her when she was alive either.

"Mr. Colby Maye?" came a young man's voice behind them. Father and daughter turned to see a citizen of the nearby town they had been staying at for a few days. He nodded at them, and continued. "I was told to come find you. A courier from the Mojave Express stopped by, and there was a package for you. Apparently, there is someone who wants to hire you within New Reno."

"Alright," her father said. "We will be there shortly."

With a soft pat on her shoulder, he moved away to gather up their things. Chloe put the gun on safety just as her father came over to take the gun from her. They started walking back towards town side by side.

"You have much to learn, Chloe, but I have all the faith in you. You are a quick learner, and strong. I know you are a survivor, and all you need to know is the ropes of this land."

She smiled up at his towering form. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled into a light hug for a few steps, chuckling softly. She couldn't wait to grow up and make him proud. She wanted to be just like him.

*******************************************************************************************************

Light sheared through the darkness with burning pain to make Chloe groan. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and she realized that her head was pounding. Her vision was blurry from the sudden light, and she jerked up into a sitting position as her last memories within the cemetery were recalled abruptly.

"Whoa! Slow down there!" a man's voice called out with gentle sternness. "Take it easy."

She blinked to clear her eyes. An older man sat in front of her. He had moved to try and catch her wobbly form. She could tell he was a doctor, and it was then that it clicked in Chloe's head that she was alive and sitting on a bed in some kind of clinic.

"You've been out cold for a few days now," the doctor continued, stroking his white mustache. "I'm Doc Mitchell. Welcome to Goodsprings…though I doubt you are enjoying how you ended up here."

"What…happened?" she groaned, rubbing her eyes. The throbbing pain in her head didn't let up as she reached to feel the source on her skull.

"The town and I are unsure exactly what happened, but Victor might be able to tell you more. He was the one who dug you up and brought you here."

"Dug me up?" she hissed. "Those bastards really did kill me!"

"Almost," Doc Mitchell said. He heaved a sigh. "I tell ya, I don't think I have ever known anyone to survive a head wound like yours. You're really lucky. What's your name, darlin'?"

"Chloe."

"Well Chloe, let's see if you can get around. You can stay here as long as you like until you get back on your feet. If you want answers, I will take you to Victor. But for now, let's take baby steps, alright?"

She slowly nodded. He helped her get to her feet. At first the world seemed like it was spinning and Chloe felt nauseas. She bent over slightly, feeling bile rise to her throat. The doctor must have recognized her body language, and stepped back to avoid the vomit, but nothing came.

Chloe took a moment to catch her breath. "The man who shot me was wearing a black and white checkered jacket…and was tagging along with some Great Khans."

Doc Mitchell cocked his head slightly. "Well, that's a strange mix. The man you seek sounds like a city slicker. Still, you better just wait to ask Victor all about it."

"Who's Victor?" she grumbled, taking slow steps. It was hard to keep her balance at first, but she was glad the doctor stuck with her to help guide her along. "Why didn't he do anything before I got shot?"

"That's a question for him, not me," Doc Mitchell replied. "But Victor is a robot. He's kinda hard to miss out here in this little 'ol town. Stands out like a pack Brahmin with only one head."

_Great…my only witness was a freaking robot…_

Sighing, she focused on moving around without tripping or fainting or getting sick. The doctor walked her across the room to the far wall where a cracked mirror was located. Chloe looked at her reflection and paled. She was not only dirty and smelly, but she looked as though she was cracked out on Jet. Doc Mitchell did a great job patching her up though. Chloe was relieved to see that she wasn't horribly disfigured by the bullet to her skull as he pulled away her bandage on her head. It was still healing, but Chloe could see the mark from the bullet make a line from the top of her forehead back into her hairline. Once the stitches were out, she could tell the scar would be visible. Luckily, she could make it to where her brunette bangs could cover most of it. At least she still had a head.

"Wow…I look like shit!" she exclaimed.

Doc Mitchell laughed. "Well, it's better than being in the ground. You just need some food and water and a little rest. You'll be fine. Now, I'm still shocked that you were able to survive such a wound, but you need to know that you might have some problems for awhile."

"Problems?" she echoed, looking from her reflection to him intently. "What do you mean problems?"

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you have some severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, lack of perception, episodes of loss of senses like hearing…things like that. A head wound is a serious thing, dear. I did all I could, and though I know you will make a full recovery without any permanent damage, these minor problems may plague you for awhile or they may not hurt you at all."

"Great," she grumbled. "Still…at least I'm alive. I need to catch up to that guy and shoot him in the head and see how he likes it!"

The doc gave a weak smile. "I wouldn't rush to try and get revenge. In fact, I would probably keep my head low for awhile. It's strange that a city slicker would be walking around with a gang of Khans…I sure hope you didn't get yourself mixed up with any of the Three Families."

"Three Families?"

"You're new to these parts, ain't ya?" Doc Mitchell asked, cocking his head.

Chloe slowly nodded, her eyes dropping to the floor. "Uh…yeah. I came from the New Reno area…looking for…some place better. I've only been here for barely three weeks. This courier job was actually my first around here. I was hoping it was going to stick…but I guess not."

"I'm sorry to hear that. And I'm sorry that your short arrival here has gotten you in this mess."

Chloe shrugged. "It happens. It's the Mojave Wasteland."

"True," the doc replied, dipping his head. "But there are places where people look out for each other. Goodsprings is one of them. As long as you are here, you are one of us so long as you don't cause trouble."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me."

"Oh, I have a present for you," Doc Mitchell said, turning quickly. He left her for a moment to go into another room. He came back a moment later with something small and shiny in his hand. He held it out to her and Chloe took it curiously.

When he plopped it into her palm, she realized it was a bullet. It was cleaned away and Chloe could tell it was a 9mm bullet. She gave the doctor an odd look.

"The bullet I pulled from your skull," Doc Mitchell explained. "It's strange that it didn't spread when it hit your head. I wonder if the gun that was used just so happened to mess up right when he pulled the trigger. It just seems like fate that you are still alive. Keep it…it might be a lucky charm."

Chloe twitched a smile, nodding at him and slipping the bullet into her pocket. The doc guided her along to another room, where he proceeded to let her sit down and do some tests. Afterwards, she was able to eat and drink something small and simple, as well as clean herself up and get a change of clothes from him. She got s pair of jeans and a gray button up shirt with sleeves that stopped just at the elbows. The doc also handed her a black jacket for the cool nights out in the wasteland, and so Chloe tied it around her waist. The clothes used to be Doc Mitchell's wife's before she passed away. He had no use for them anymore.

Doc Mitchell brought her courier bag to her. Chloe had forgotten all about it, but as she went through it, she found all of her things still in place. She had a couple hundred caps on her, all that was left from her trip from New Reno. She also had a 10mm handgun and some ammo to go with it. Her delivery information for the Platinum Chip was in there, but of course not the chip itself. The chip had been in her pocket before the man who shot her took it from her and had his Great Khans knock her out. She also found her knife and medical supplies in tack.

"I have one last present for you," Doc Mitchell said when he was sure that she was going to be fine to move on. He pulled out a large, metallic wrist brace that had a computer built into it. Chloe had seen them before. It was a Pip-Boy 3000. She had seen a few from the occasional Vault dwellers that had come out when she had been traveling with her father. She never got to really see one up close and personal though.

"It's a Pip-Boy 3000. You said you were new to the area. I figured this could help you tremendously. It used to be mine. I came from Vault 21 up by the Strip long ago…traveled around a lot with my wife, but after she passed I just settled here. I don't need it anymore. It has an entire map of the New Vegas area. It can also monitor body readings through your pulse…you know, tell you if something is wrong. It has the date and time on the settings, as well as a built in flashlight. It can also pick up on several radio stations across the Mojave Wasteland. Now, it looks heavy but it isn't, and it is really easy to get on and off."

"Wow, thanks," she grunted, surprised. She took the wrist computer. Doc Mitchell showed her how to strap it to her left arm. She checked it all out, amazed at all its gadgets. She map proved to be the most valuable to her, since she did not know this area at all. "You have done so much for me, Doc. You've been the nicest person I have met in awhile, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart. What can I do to ever repay you?"

Doc Mitchell smiled, waving a hand at her dismissively. "Nah, don't worry about it, dear. I was just doing my job. I'm a doctor after all. So, what will you do now?"

She thought on it for a moment. "I'm going to go talk to Victor, and then I should head back down to Primm to see if I can learn anything more about the chip I was carrying and see if that guy had been following or even been seen down that way. He knew that I had what he wanted, so he must have stopped by Primm at one time."

Doc Mitchell looked unsure. "Well, I can't stop you. Just be careful out there, will ya? I just hope you aren't getting caught up with any of the Three Families."

"You said that before. Who are the Three Families?" she questioned curiously.

"They run the Strip along with Mr. House and his police robots, the Securitons like what Victor is. They used to be tribal gangs, but House somehow domesticated them into these smooth talking, sophisticated businessmen."

"Wow, that's weird," Chloe mumbled. She had crossed many tribals back in the New Reno area, but none ever that came across as domesticated. Her father had told her time and time again never to trust them.

"Yeah, I know. They've been there for years now. The Chairmen, the Omertas, and the White Glove Society. All three were derived from different tribes of nomadic warriors."

"And what about this Mr. House guy? Who is he?" Chloe asked, now thoroughly interested.

"He's back from before the Great War. At least that is what he says. He says that Vegas has always been his, and forever will. He created the Securitons back in the Pre-War days, and I guess that is how he still controls them."

"So…he's like a ghoul or Super Mutant or something? How else could he live so long?"

"Don't know. No one's ever seen him. Not even the Three Families have seen him in person," the doc answered, shaking his head.

"Wow…very weird," she mumbled. She felt a headache coming on.

"It's been a long while since I have been up that way, but…did he talk in a certain way?"

Chloe instantly perked up. "Yeah! I've never heard the accent before but it was very catchy. In fact…the weirdest thing of all was how charismatic he was about killing me. I have gotten into my fair share of trouble, and no one has ever been so…I don't know…nice about trying to kill me."

"Definitely not the Omertas then," Doc Mitchell sighed. "Which is a very good thing. Maybe Victor and your boss back in Primm can tell you more then."

She nodded. "I will get on that."

"Would you like me to take you to Victor now?"

"Yes, please. If you don't mind."

Doc Mitchell smiled, getting up out of his chair. Chloe followed a little slower, and they headed out of the clinic to the outside. The arid scent of the desert wasteland filled her nostrils as soon as she stepped out. The sun shone with such intensity that Chloe had to shield her eyes for a moment. Doc Mitchell's clinic sat on a small hill over looking the rest of the little town. Chloe could see many houses, as well as pen full of Bighorners and a schoolhouse. She could also see the General Store at the edge of town, right next to the saloon, called Prospector Saloon. Up the hill more from the clinic was an abandoned gas station, stripped away from years of sitting.

Doc Mitchell motioned her along, and she followed him down into town. The dry wind blew by in short, rough bursts in spots as they made their way along the broken asphalt. It didn't take them long to spot Victor rolling along near the General Store. Chloe had never seen a robot quite like him before, and found him odd. Doc Mitchell hollered at the Securiton, and Victor spotted them.

He rolled right over to them. Chloe couldn't help but to smile at the friendly cowboy picture that was displaying his "face" on the screen. He waved one long arm at them, snapping the metal pinchers at the end used as his fingers.

"Well, howdy pardners!" he said. He looked Chloe over a minute. "Might I say that you look as fit as a fiddle!"

Chloe glanced over at the doc, who smiled and urged her to get to talking to the robot.

"Thanks for digging me out of that grave," she told him.

"Don't you mention it, little lady. I'm always willing to lend a helping hand to a stranger in need!"

"Do you know who those men were who attacked me?"

His cowboy face popped around in his screen like an old time film. He shrugged an arm. "Can't say I'm familiar with the rascals. Maybe some of the fine folk here in Goodsprings can help you out."

Doc Mitchell turned to Chloe. "Trudy might be your best bet. She knows everything that happens in this town."

She nodded, turning back to Victor. "So, you were just out on a stroll when you came upon me?"

"I was," Victor replied. "I heard the commotion up at the old bone orchard. They looked like a bunch of bad eggs to me, so I laid low!" He pointed up to a tall hill on the outskirts of town with an old water tower. "After they ran off, I dug you up to see if you were still kicking. Good thing you still were! I immediately hauled you off to good 'ol Doc Mitchell here!"

Not exactly the answers that Chloe was looking for, but they were better than nothing. The doc patted her on the shoulder.

"Let's go ask around, see if anyone saw anything," he said.

"Sorry I can't give anything more," Victor put in. "If you need anything else, just holler."

With that, the polite Securitron rolled off towards his shack. Doc Mitchell stuck with Chloe as they went around asking for answers. Easy Pete, a retired prospector, was able to tell them that the men did come into town for a drink. He said the man in the suit was calling the shots. He told them the man had eyes like a snake, not to be trusted. Obviously.

Most of the town folk didn't know anything. Chet, the man who owned the General Store, told them he saw the man in the checkered jacket and said he was a typical city boy, and that the Great Khans had to be hired guns. When they entered the Saloon, Sunny Smiles said her dog, Cheyenne, bit one of the Khans and before a fight could break out, the man in the checkered suit cooled everything down and seemed polite, though she did mention that he came across as a fox.

Finally, they found Trudy cleaning some mugs behind her counter. She smiled upon seeing them. The older woman nodded to the doctor, pointing back to her shelf full of drinks.

"The usual, Doc?"

Doc Mitchell chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no. This here is Chloe, the girl who got shot. She wants to know about the men who tried to kill her. I heard they came into town, so I figured you would know something."

Trudy held out her hand, smiling. "Nice to meet you, dear. I'm sorry you had to go through something like that."

Chloe twitched a smile, taking her hand. "It's alright. It's nice to meet you too."

Trudy sighed, sitting the mug along with the cleaning rag down on the counter. "Oh yeah, they were here. Thought trouble was going break loose when Cheyenne bit one of the Great Khans, but the city slicker who was calling the shots smooth talked everyone here in the bar down."

"Anything else you can tell me?" Chloe asked. "Did they say where they were going?"

"They were in a heated debate over it, but the guy in the checkered jacket kept shushing them. Sounded like they came in north through Quarry Junction. If that's the case, I don't blame them for not wanting to go back."

"Why's that?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Let's just say there are a bunch of critters that you don't want to deal with. Merchants avoid the stretch of I-15 like it is radioactive, which I guess it could very well be. Anyways, the leader said something about the Strip. If the fella wants to get there and avoid the 15, he is gonna have to go east…take Highway 93 up."

"Thanks," Chloe said, dipping her head.

"No problem. I hope it helps. Be careful out there, and don't do anything stupid if you are planning on following them."

"Would you like to head up the hill to the cemetery and see if we can find anymore clues?" Doc Mitchell asked.

They said goodbye to Trudy, who went back to work, but the doc asked Sunny to tag along with her dog just in case they had some trouble with local wildlife. The dog led the way with Chloe, Sunny, and Doc Mitchell right behind. The trek up the hill didn't take long, and Cheyenne took out a bark scorpion for them.

They walked over to Chloe's grave where Victor had dug her up. It was now only an empty hole in the ground. The Great Khans had left empty bottles and junk all around, but none that proved useful. She spotted the cigarette butts from the man who shot her, and picked them up to stuff in her bag. She also found the bullet shell belonging to the sole bullet that struck her skull.

"There isn't much here, is there?" Sunny asked, putting a hand on her hip. Cheyenne was sniffing around the grave, growling softly.

Chloe watched the shepherd mix check the surrounding grave, reminding her of the dog she had for years and lost on her trek to New Vegas from New Reno. She looked away, turning to Sunny and Mitchell. "I guess not."

"So, what now?" Doc Mitchell asked.

"I guess I am gonna head back to Primm," Chloe sighed, rubbing her fingers through her hair. She was looking into the grave, thinking.

"Well, we can't stop you, but you should at least spend the night and head out in the morning. It would be safer that way."

Chloe nodded. "Thanks, I will do that."

*******************************************************************************************************

"I'm tired of you hauling us all over the wasteland! When are you going to pay us?" McMurphy snapped, trekking behind his fellow Khans.

Benny rolled his eyes, snapping the lid on his Zippo lighter a few times before lighting the cigarette that poked out of his mouth. He took a drag before glancing back to the Khan. "Check's in the mail, dig?"

"I think we have much better things to do. We did what you asked us to do," Jessup sighed.

"You're all cryin' like kittens. I'll pay up once we arrive in Boulder City."

Melissa, the only female Khan in the group, glared and bristled at him. "Boulder City? You better not be pulling anything on us!"

"Now why would I do a thing like that?" Benny asked, putting his hands on the back of his head and grinning at them. "There's four of you, and only one of me. Besides, ain't a few of your kind in Boulder City anyways? That just doubles the odds against me, dig? You shouldn't worry so much, baby."

Melissa folded her arms, clenching her jaw. "All this for a stupid poker chip."

Benny took the Platinum Chip out from his jacket, flipping it like a coin. "A very special poker chip, honey baby."

"It won't ever be special to us. Chance is dead because of you," McMurphy growled.

Benny shrugged. "His choice. He wanted to die. I just did it humanely, ya dig? He would've done something ugly like cut his wrist open."

"Don't you say that," Melissa snapped.

"Why? 'Cause it's the truth?" Benny snorted. "He had the choice to toss it away, instead he drank it."

The Great Khans grew quiet behind him. Benny slipped the chip back into his jacket as they continued to walk along the broken and eroded highway. He looked off towards the hills, watching for raiders or wildlife.

"Well, if you gave Chance a choice, you sure as hell didn't give that girl a choice," Jessup finally said.

"The courier?" Benny asked. "You wouldn't believe me if I said I didn't want to kill her, but it's true. If I had let her go, then Mr. House would find out what I was up to. We can't have that now, dig? That would affect you finks as well."

Jessup muttered something softly and glared off into the hills. They still had awhile before they would reach Boulder City. The Khans were growing tired of tagging alongside Benny, but it wasn't as though they could just drop the pay they were going to get. The tribe needed the money, and Benny was willing to pay well for that damn chip they worked so hard for.

And though they had thought about jumping Benny for the caps and leaving him, they soon thought better of it. They knew Benny's past. The Great Khans used to fight over land and other resources with the Boot Riders. The Khans lost much of those battles against the nomadic tribals. Benny was tribe leader, even though the Boot Riders were domesticated and called the Chairmen, that didn't make them any less dangerous. If they took Benny out, the Chairmen would hunt them down, and could easily get favored by the NCR.

"You cats need to relax a little, take things smooth. The Ben-man's gonna play his hand in all of this, don't you worry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This story has been on fanfiction.net for years, with 20+ chapters. I will slowly move chapters over to AO3 as I have time. I gave this story a major rewrite/revision recently, and so I hope you all enjoy it! :3


	3. They Went That-A Way

### Chapter 2: They Went That-A Way

Chloe tossed and turned while laying on her thin bedroll. Grumbling, she turned towards the cackling gunfire. She flipped over to where Shadow was laying. The pit bull mix thumped his tail and licked her face. Chloe heaved a sigh.

"Is something the matter, hun?" came her dad's voice.

"Couldn't we have stayed in a hotel for the night?" she asked, sitting up to look at him.

Colby was cooking some gecko meat over the fire, but his eyes were to the starry sky. It was dark around their little campsite, and though it was drastically hot while the sun was out in the Mojave Wasteland, at night it could cool down to freezing temperatures.

"Now, Chloe, you know we don't have much caps right now. I promise after we reach Quinn and finish our contracts there that we will stay in a hotel."

"Alright," she grumbled, petting her dog on the head.

Shadow had been with them for a little over eight years now. He had been her fifteenth birthday present. Dad had found him in an abandoned junkyard while they were scavenging for items. Dogs were all over the Mojave Wasteland, whether wild like the common coyotes, or a good companion to the people all over. Dad had told Chloe that he was sure that Shadow came from a wild pack, and that the mother dog had to leave him to move the other pups.

The pit bull mix was mostly black, save for a small strip on his nose and a white sock on his front left paw. Chloe had seen the dog in action plenty of times. He had helped her and her father out of some dire situations, from raider attacks to encounters with the wildlife like the fierce Yao Guai. He bore scars all over his body to prove it.

"Oh yeah! Did I tell you that Jacob will be there in Quinn?"

Chloe instantly sprang back up, grinning. "He will?"

Her dad laughed. "So excited! Yes, he is actually going to help us on one of the assignments."

"That's great! We haven't seen him in months!"

"Yes, I know. His help will be greatly appreciated…as well as his company."

"Daddy!"

"Oh, I'm just teasing you," Colby sighed, finishing up one strip of gecko and putting on another over the fire.

Jacob was almost four years older than her. She had known him all her life. His father was once a good friend to her father, but his life was cut short by some kind of tribe near the New Vegas area. Jacob was only fifteen, and Chloe was only eleven. Jacob had been old enough to go to work, but he still stuck around when Chloe and her father went to New Reno for jobs. She found it strange that Jacob was going to be in Quinn to help them with work.

She shook out of the thoughts, grinning over at her dad. "Are those gecko steaks ready yet?"

"Do you want to cook them?" Colby asked, eyeing her playfully.

"I don't know, do I? The last time I cooked them, they came out like cardboard!"

Colby chuckled. "Gecko meat is tricky. Don't worry, you make one helluva good mole rat steak!"

"You bet I do!" Chloe laughed. Shadow barked his approval, and Chloe patted his head.

"Alright, they should be done now. Want some?"

She nodded, crawling out of her bedroll and stretching. She went over to their duffle bags and dug out a couple of Nuka-Colas for them to drink with their small meal. She handed him one of the soft drinks, and he handed her a plate full of sizzling gecko meat.

"You know I like Sunset Sarsaparilla better," Dad sighed.

"Because you're a weirdo!" Chloe sighed. "I think you drank them all, Dad."

"I did? My memory must be slipping. Old age I guess."

"Dad, you are not that old!" Chloe exclaimed. She tore off a chunk and fed it to the begging Shadow. His tail was thumping hard on the rocky ground, and his jowls were gathering lots of saliva.

"You think? Eh, I guess your right. I still have some good moves."

"Don't overdo it," Chloe sighed, pointing at him with her fork. "So, what's this job we are doing in Quinn with Jacob?"

"Well, I hear there is a small group of Legionaries in the area."

Chloe almost choked on her steak. "Legionaries? As in Caesar's Legion?"

"Yeah, who else would I be talking about?"

"This is really far from the Colorado River."

"I know, and that makes it strange. Anyways, the town wants someone able to get rid of them before they decide to take the entire place. So, you be sure to be in high alert when we arrive there tomorrow to do business."

"Why isn't the NCR doing anything?" Chloe asked.

Colby gave her a dull look. "Really?"

"Fine, I get it."

"What's the matter, sweetheart? This could give us the most caps we have had in awhile. I know it is dangerous, but Jacob will be a big help."

"Something just doesn't feel right. Why would the Legion sent just a little pack this far?"

Colby shrugged. "I have no idea, but it is our job to wipe them out and make sure they don't come back."

Chloe slowly nodded, her eyes falling to the cackling, bright fire. "Yeah…"

**************************************************************************************************************************

Her head was pounding. Chloe awoke to ringing in her head and then absently remembered some of the side effects Doc Mitchell had told her about. She crawled out of the warmth of the mattress and blanket, stepping around in the dark to try and clear her head. She had no idea why she had a memory come to her in her dreams. She had one earlier, before she had awoke to Doc Mitchell looking over her in her coma. That one was from when she was little, around ten. This one she just awoke from happened just a couple months ago.

It wasn't so much the pounding in her head, but the aching in her heart that drove her to go outside. Doc Mitchell was letting her sleep in his clinic in one of the patient rooms. The night outside was cool and breezy. Silver clouds slowly glided across the starry sky. There were only a few lights on in the town of Goodsprings. Sighing, Chloe went over to a large rock not far from the porch of Doc Mitchell's clinic to sit down and look to the stars.

It was all too much still. She just wanted to forget about it all, but how could she with these memories coming back to haunt her in her dreams? It was her fault that Dad was dead. It was her fault that she was all alone now, and had been for over a month. It was killing her. Shadow died just before reaching the New Vegas area protecting her from a Yao Guai that had sprung up when she wasn't paying attention. She was able to kill the mutated bear, but her dog that she had had at her side for eight years bled out in her arms. Bled out…just like Dad did.

After Dad died she had tried sticking with Jacob. They even started a romantic relationship, but soon Jacob wanted to go east. East made no sense to Chloe. There was nothing out east. The farther east anyone went, the more destructive and radioactive it got from the atomic fire that drenched the land in the Great War long ago. And the more wild tribes of raiders and nomads there were. Besides, Chloe had always known that Dad wanted to come to the New Vegas area, because there were so many jobs available. And so, Chloe and Jacob parted ways, perhaps forever, so she could come here in some hopes for making Dad happy.

_But how can he be happy when it's your fault that he's dead?_

She wiped the tears that had started spilling from the brims of her eyes. There were many times along the weeks that had past since her dad's death, Jacob's departure, and Shadow's death, about putting a gun to her head and ending it all. The New Vegas area was proving to be way more difficult than New Reno, but Chloe couldn't pass that it was probably because she was all alone, and she had never been alone in her life, not ever. She was lost. And now a bullet to her head seemed pointless. The man she was after to seek answers shot her in the head, something she had thought of doing, and even that didn't kill her. She took it as a sign from Dad, mostly.

Now, as much as it hurt to do so, she wanted to go on. She wanted to make it up to her father. She wanted to prove that she could make it on her own. All she had right now was a broken heart and some battle scars. Maybe things could start to change if she put herself out there to strive and live on.

_Until you find the man who shot you in the face…then he is going to kill you for good…_

Chloe sighed. She knew she was crazy for going after the jerk that shot her. The townsfolk here in Goodsprings were right. It would be better for her to lay low for awhile then to run after the man who shot her. But she felt compelled to go after him, like she had something to prove. Maybe that was enough to go. And if he shot her in the head again, maybe that would be enough too.

Her mind was made up. Sighing, Chloe got up and entered into the clinic to go back to bed. She would be heading out at dawn to get to Primm early. She needed to talk to her boss, Johnson Nash, to figure out if he knew anything about the Platinum Chip.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Chloe made sure she had all her supplies ready. Her courier bag held many essentials, like water and food and medical supplies. She had her 10mm pistol holstered at her side. Sunny had given her a small carbine rifle to help her along, and they even spared her some ammo. She thanked them graciously. Even the food and water came from Trudy, and the medical supplies came from Doc Mitchell. She only had a few hundred caps, all she had left from her journey from New Reno. Chloe knew eventually, she would have to find ways to make more caps. Not everyone was going to be as considerate as Goodsprings had been to her.

"Thanks, you guys," Chloe said, smiling and shaking Trudy's and Doc Mitchell's hands.

"You take care of yourself, and don't forget about us," Trudy said.

"Remember what I said about those side effects from getting shot in the head. If anything worsens you come straight back and see me or find another doctor ASAP! Keep that bandage on your head for another week, changing it daily of course. Then it should be good enough to come off."

"Thanks Doc!"

"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled. "Just don't go getting yourself shot anymore."

"I will try not to," she laughed.

She waved a final goodbye to them, and then started down the highway south towards Primm. It was a few hours walk, but she was used to walking everywhere. She and her father were always on the move around the New Reno area for new jobs. As long as she stuck to the I-15, she should avoid most wildlife. Of course, Trudy and the Doc had warned her about some escaped convicts from the NCR's prison who were calling themselves the Powder Gangers from all the dynamite they were using. Trudy said that they have been seen along the highway between the towns of Sloan and Primm.

Just as she was out of Goodsprings, she heard something rolling up from behind her. She turned to see Victor coming her way. He came to a halt in front of her, his friendly cowboy face on the screen flickering.

"Howdy, Chloe! Off already?"

"Yeah. I'm heading to Primm to see if I can figure out anything more about the chip I was delivering and see if anyone saw the man who shot me."

"Oh…well, be careful, alrighty? Watch out for them there Powder Gangers that people have been seeing. No more bullets to the head, got it?"

She smiled, nodding at the Securitron. "Yeah, thanks. See ya around, Victor. And thanks again for digging me out of that shallow grave."

"Don't mention it, little lady! Farewell, until we meet again!"

The large robot turned and headed back into town. Frowning, Chloe started off again. She had attached the Pip-Boy to her arm and was playing with it as she walked. The date said Sunday, October 19th, 2281. She was able to turn the radio on, smiling slightly at the old tunes that played from it. Her dad had kept an old radio with them to listen as they sat at campfires. She would always get a good laugh when he tried his hand at singing along with the songs.

The sun was sizzling above her, raising the temperature in the Wasteland as minutes went by. The atomic bombs from the Great War ripped a hole in the sky, and so it remained arid and hot pretty much all year around. Rain was scarce out here. Chloe wouldn't mind getting some rain about now.

Her trip to Primm was uneventful save for a few large geckos that came after her and a lone Radroach near a toxic dump. She was able to spot some coyotes watching her along the hills in the morning, but only out of curiosity. They soon slinked off deeper into the hills to avoid her.

As she reached Primm's entrance, reading the green overpass signs and keeping to the right lane, she saw a white flag waving on one of the electric poles near what looked like a makeshift station. Old tin and blown up cars from the Pre-War era were around to help in hiding. She recognized the white flag with the two-headed bear and logo. The New California Republic was here, no surprise. Though they weren't here when Chloe left just days ago with the chip on her, now it seemed a good sized group was stationed here.

The NCR were unavoidable these days, especially in California. For years they had been spreading east, taking over Nevada and Arizona as well. They were one of the largest factions in post-apocalyptic America. Chloe even heard stories on how they were able to take out large numbers of the Enclave and Brotherhood of Steel. Chloe had mixed feelings about the faction. They didn't quite have all their priorities straight, worried more about taking over things than helping the majority of the people. Now, that didn't go for all of them, but Chloe had seen her fair share in New Reno.

"Hold it! What are you doing here?" an NCR trooper asked, walking over to her.

"I work for the Mojave Express," she said, glancing around behind him. Primm was on the left side of the bypass, and so she would have to cross the makeshift bridge to get to it.

"Well, Primm is off limits."

"S'cuse me?"

"A whole bunch of convicts from the NCR correctional facility up the road broke out. They have taken over the town."

Chloe glared at him. "And you guys are just sitting around?"

"We don't have the men or the supplies to take them out. Lieutenant Hayes is trying to get backup down here."

Chloe rolled her eyes, "Oh please, I can take care of myself so let me through."

"Those men are dangerous, ma'am! Even though they are not from the main group who are calling themselves the Powder Gangers, there is still a good sized gang of them. All the citizens are hiding out in the Vicki and Vance Casino what we know of."

"Thanks for the info," she said, slipping past him.

The NCR trooper watched her go. He followed her to a bridge where he joined another trooper. Chloe got out her gun, slipping across the bridge to get into the town. She wished it was night at the moment to help hide her as she snuck along and put her back to the wall of a building. Kneeling, she wedged herself between the building and a wrecked vehicle. Chloe had taken out plenty of raiders and convicts with her father. It angered her to know that the NCR just a block away were too chicken to try and come rescue these people.

She spotted two men in prison wear just down from her, near the Sherriff's house. She aimed her pistol and took them both out. She heard more men yell out, and she knew she needed to move fast. She had no idea how many they were. She knew the Vicki and Vance Casino was just up from where she was now. As she vaulted over the car, another convict came out from the other side of the building. A bullet whizzed past her face, and Chloe aimed and shot him in the head.

She heard more gunfire and looked back. Thinning her lips, she was relieved but also annoyed that the NCR troops had decided to join her. It didn't take them long to wipe out the gang. Chloe took this time to enter into the casino with some of the NCR soldiers. The warm glow of the inside, with the reddish orange carpet and lights from the slot machines reminded her of when she was here last.

There were many of the townsfolk in here. Most of them had guns and aimed at her and the NCR when they entered. They quickly put away their weapons, running up to demand some answers. Chloe even saw the Protectron robot with the cowboy hat she had saw on her last visit that was the casino's security.

"It's about damn time you guys did something!" one of the women residents yelled.

Chloe left the NCR to explain themselves to go look for Johnson Nash. The old man was wearing overalls and was sitting next to his wife, Ruby. He instantly recognized her.

"I don't know what brought you back to Primm so soon, youngster, but if I were you I would change my plans. Town's gone to hell."

"I took care of the convicts…well, the NCR helped after they saw me go in," Chloe answered him.

"So what brings ya here, youngster?"

"I lost a package I was supposed to deliver." Chloe took out her delivery order slip for the Platinum Chip as Courier Six.

Johnson Nash took it and looked it over, his wife looking over his shoulder as well. "Oh…you're talking about one of them packages. That job had strange written all over it, but we just couldn't turn down the caps."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "What was strange about it?"

"That cowboy robot had us hire six couriers, all carrying something a little different. A pair of dice, a chess piece, that sort of thing. Last word I heard from the office, it looked as though payment for the other five jobs were received. Guess it was just your chip that didn't make it," Johnson explained. He heaved a sigh, growing a scowl on his face. "First deadbeat we hired to do the job canceled. Hope a storm from the Divide skins him alive. Well…that's where you came in."

"Cowboy robot? You mean that Protectron over there with the rawhide hat?" Chloe inquired, baffled.

"Nope. Different fella. Bigger. Had himself a face on a screen with a cowboy. He talked more like you and me."

Dammit, I bet that was Victor!

Chloe bristled in anger, but took a moment to calm down. "Okay, so this other guy who was supposed to run my job? He canceled?"

"Yeah, got a look on his face when he saw your name next down on the courier list. His expression turned right around. He asked me if your name was for real. I told him for sure as lack of rain! You were still kicking! Then he turned down the job, just like that. I asked him if he was sure, said it was good money. He gave me this look and said, "No, let Chloe carry the package." Like the Mojave would sort you out or something. Then he just up and walked out."

Chloe was confused now. Who would know her out here? She was new to these parts. It just didn't make any sense. "Do you know who he was? Where he went?"

Johnson shook his head. "No idea. Sounds like you two had a history together for him to act like that, and turn down the money, too. Hope he didn't see any trouble in that package of yours. Maybe he thought your name was bad luck. Well…it's not for me to say."

Chloe would have to let this man who dropped her job on her go for now. She needed to focus on tracking down the man who shot her. Sighing, she got her thoughts together. "Some men stole my package. A man in a checkered jacket and some thugs. Did they pass this way?"

Johnson thought for a moment. "Well, now that you mention it, a few nights ago one of the townies was out scavenging for supplies. He said he saw a guy in a daisy suit come through with some of those Great Khan misfits. They was talking 'bout a chip."

"That's them! That man shot me. I need to know the best way to get to them."

"Well, your best bet in getting information on them is to talk to Deputy Beagle. Since they came to town, he was keeping a good head of notes on them. He was slinking around Bison Steve when your pretty boy friend came through. He may have heard where they were going."

"Where is he? Is he still inside Bison Steve?"

"He was captured by the convicts in there last we heard," Ruby answered before her husband could.

"Okay, guess I gotta go save a deputy," Chloe sighed.

"Try to get those NCR soldiers to help you."

"Yeah right."

She went to the front door. The NCR soldiers had just left. When she came outside to the hot air of the morning, she saw more troops coming down from the bypass. She went over to a man who she realized was Lieutenant Hayes.

"Ma'am, are you crazy? Or just plain stupid?" he growled as she walked up. "You could have gotten yourself killed just barging in here like this!"

"What? Are you mad that I had more balls than your men?" Chloe snorted. "I needed answers, and these people needed help. Get your priorities straight."

"It wasn't as though we didn't want to help them, but our orders were to stay put," Hayes sighed.

"Well, you guys did a pretty good job taking them out when you came after me. Now, I am going inside the Bison Steve hotel across the street here to go rescue Deputy Beagle from the rest of those convicts. Are you guys going to join me?"

Heaving a sigh, Hayes pointed to four NCR soldiers nearby. "You four, go with her and rescue any remaining civilians in there and take out the rest of the convicts. I need to get everyone else at their stations."

The four NCR soldiers saluted. "Yes, sir!"

Chloe and her small team of NCR soldiers entered into the first floor of the large, rundown hotel. There were barriers set up with tables, chair, and various other furniture. As soon as the double doors closed behind them, a small group of convicts came after them. The shootout broke out in fury. Chloe dove behind the reception desk, quickly using it as cover before jumping up to pop some bullets into the yelling men.

They were quick to move on, running into more down the hallways as they searched for the deputy. In the main dining hall, they found the leader of the convicts, armed with a shotgun. One of the NCR soldiers got shot in the arm by another convict. Chloe was quick to dispatch them with her team before moving on. They came to a locked door. It was for the maintenance employees for the hotel. One of the NCR men tried to ram it, but the lock was too solid.

Chloe kneeled down before the lock, pulling out a flathead screwdriver and a bobby pin. They watched her in awe as she took the time to pick the lock successfully. "There!" she exclaimed, grinning. She saw the looks on their faces. "What? My dad was a master with locks in his days as a scavenger."

They went on through, finding the deputy tied up on his knees back in the kitchen. He was a man in his forties, with graying blonde hair. He was relieved to see them, and they untied him and got out of there.

Once back outside, her four NCR soldiers left to get the wounded one tended to. Lieutenant Hayes came over to her and Deputy Beagle, but Chloe held up her hand to tell him to wait. She turned to the deputy, who had already thanked her before.

"So, can you tell me about the man in the checkered suit who came through here?" Chloe asked him.

"Wow, I just got done with the worst part of my law enforcement career and now I am getting interrogated."

She glared at him. "Look, I helped save your ass. Tell me where they went!"

"Okay okay!" the deputy exclaimed. He took a moment to think back. "Ahh yes, your boyfriend did come through with a small pack of Great Khans. He was talking about some poker chip that he took from some lovely pussycat…his exact words…hmm…I'm guessing that would be you. They said something about heading to Novac through Nipton. If that is the case, and you are following him, I strongly suggest sticking to the roads."

"Thanks…oh and he is not my boyfriend."

Deputy Beagle raised his eyebrows. "Oh, sorry. He talked as if you were."

"Do boyfriends shoot their girlfriends in the head?" she grumbled, pointing to the bandage on her head.

"Well…"

"Never mind, don't answer that. So, what are you going to do now? The sheriff is dead. Does that mean you are sheriff now?"

Deputy Beagle lowered his eyes. "Actually, no. I'm just a deputy, and that's all I want to be in the chain of commands. But we do need a sheriff still. In fact, while I was tied up back there in the hotel, I was thinking about handing this town over to the NCR." He looked over to the Lieutenant, who raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I'm not one to like martial law, but if it is the best way to protect these folks, then so be it."

"Well, thanks for the information. I guess I will be going so you can discuss the new law with Lieutenant Hayes here."

"Wait," the Lieutenant said. "Thank you for your help, ma'am. Here…I'm not entitled to hand pay to civilians, but you've earned it."

He dropped a small bag of caps into her hand. "Thanks."

"Oh, and Mr. Nash wanted to see you in the Mojave Express building."

She nodded, taking off to head down the block to the building. As she came to the front door, she paused upon seeing the body of a fellow courier. It was Daniel Wyand. If she remembered correctly, he was the fourth courier in the six that were sent out with the strange packages. He was shot in the head. For a moment, she wondered if the same man that shot her in the head, got to Daniel first.

Sighing, she entered into the shop. A radio was playing, and before she could say hello to Johnson, who was waiting for her behind his counter, something metal banged right into her head.

"Ow!"

She looked up to see an Eyebot floating above her. She realized it was playing the radio from within its floating metal cast. It beeped at her rapidly, like it was annoyed, and then floated off to the back of the room.

"Sorry about that. That thing is all kinds of confused," Johnson sighed. "I'm thinking about taking it apart and dumping it. I wanted to use it for some courier work, after I had found it dead outside of town."

Ruby came out from the back of the building. "My casserole burned in all that mayhem!"

"You're lucky it didn't burn down the whole building, woman!" Johnson snorted.

"Oh dearie, do you want some Radscorpion venom casserole? It's my own recipe! Don't worry, there isn't enough venom to be harmful, it just adds some twang to the casserole. Unless you have a cut in your mouth! Then you'll just drop dead!"

She laughed, and Chloe's eyes widened. She laughed hesitantly at the old woman. "Uhh, no thanks, Mrs. Nash."

"Woman, get into the back before you scare her off!"

"Don't take that tone with me, Johnny!" She left to head to the back of the building, presumably where their living quarters were.

Her husband sighed. "Again, sorry about that. I wanted to talk to you about a few things."

"Sure," Chloe said, sitting down on the bar stool next to the counter.

"Did you see Daniel outside?"

"Yes. What happened?"

"The NCR brought him here before this whole convict thing went down. Did you get shot with a 9mm?"

"Yes, I did."

"Even though Daniel's delivery was received, he was still killed on his way back here. I'm thinking that your pretty-boy city slicker wanted to see if he could get anymore information off of Daniel before finding you."

"That's nice to know."

"Please be careful. This guy sounds dangerous. Oh, and one last thing. Please take ED-E here. It might be temperamental, but it does one heck of a job at taking out enemies. If you could find someone who could fix it up, I'm sure it would be a good companion, much more useful to you than me."

"In other words, please take that heap of junk with you!" Ruby called.

"Woman, hush it!"

Chloe chuckled. She was pretty good at tinkering things. She was sure she could fix the Eyebot right up. "You sure he isn't an Enclave spy?"

Johnson snorted, waving her off. "You kidding? ED-E's form of spying is watching Radroaches scavenge about before shooting them with its laser! And all it does is plays the local radio."

"Thanks, Mr. Nash."

"It's the least I can do for you helping this town out. Good luck with your boyfriend…err, I mean that city slicker of yours."

She left after using her Pip-Boy to reprogram the Eyebot. It buzzed along behind her, playing an old tune. She was met with Lieutenant Hayes just as she was leaving town.

"Yes?" she inquired.

The Lieutenant took one moment to look at ED-E oddly, before shaking out of his thoughts and smiling at her. "If you are on your way to Novac, I was wondering if you could possibly stop by the Mojave Outpost just south of there to deliver this message to Ranger Jackson? He will pay you for the work."

"How much exactly?"

"Seeing as he needs the report right away, I would say a few hundred."

"Alright, I will take it to him."

"Thanks again." He handed over a rolled up piece of paper tied with a dirty ribbon.

"Come on, ED-E!"

Chloe was heading south again. The Eyebot stuck at her side, beeping at her once in at times while also playing some tunes in its body. As it flew along beside her, it seemed to do a little wiggle in its floating, like a dance, as if it was going along with the tunes.

"I've never had a robot for a companion before. I guess I better watch myself. I don't want to start talking to you as though you will answer me."

"Beep be beep!"

"Yeah, yeah," she sighed. She used her Pip-Boy to check the map. It came in handy, so now she would be able to know which roads to stick to. It looked as though the Mojave Outpost wasn't too far south from the road to Nipton. It wouldn't be too much out of the way. Besides, she would need the caps.


	4. On the Trail

### Chapter 3: On the Trail

"Do you think we will run into any trouble when we reach Nipton?" Jessup asked, shouldering his rifle.

Benny and the Great Khans had just got onto Highway 164 from the I-15. Benny checked his watch for the time. If they kept walking with no stops, they would make it to Novac by sunset. The Powder Gangers hardly gave them any trouble. Their beef was with the NCR, and they didn't feel like messing with the Khans.

There wasn't much to look at as they trekked along the broken road. The dried up lake to their left was crawling with large mutant ants feeding on a dead radscorpion and to their right were more mountains. The wind brought thick clouds over the sky, but nothing to ease the heat of the Mojave Wasteland. Each gust of wind would spray up mounds of eroded dirt and sand.

"Nah, I doubt it," Benny sighed.

"Not unless there are some NCR. Then I will feel like fighting," McMurphy grumbled, rubbing at his thick mustache.

"Fine, get yourself shot. I won't cry."

The large, dark skinned Khan glared at Benny's back. Melissa rolled her eyes, keeping an eye out for any stalking wildlife or raiders. "Let's just be sure that we make it to Novac by the time it gets dark. We don't want to be out here at night."

"Why's that, baby cakes?" Benny questioned, looking over his shoulder at her.

Melissa gave him a look. "Oh yeah, you've been living the civilized life behind city walls for almost a decade, so of course you would forget," she sneered with snide. "It's Deathclaw breeding season, asshole."

"Oh yeah, roving males. That's not good," Jessup sighed.

"Baby, those roving males will be out day or night," Benny chuckled. "It's been awhile since I've lived like you three, but that don't mean I've forgotten anything, dig?"

"Then let's hope that we don't run into one, hmm?" Melissa grumbled.

"Jeez, is she always this moody?" Benny asked, glancing to Jessup.

"Actually, yeah."

"Jessup!"

"Whoa, whoa, check this out! We got ourselves a small group of Powder Gangers plotting something," McMurphy said, pointing down away from them. The small town of Nipton was just up the hill, but the four of them were quick to make out the white and red flag with the two-headed bear hanging on a pole near the town's entrance. A group of Powder Gangers were hiding out behind a large, broken down advertisement sign talking and pointing towards Nipton.

"Ain't that swell? They are gonna go kill some NCR rangers," Benny said, sneering.

"I want in on this!" McMurphy growled.

"Aw, c'mon Murph! We need to get to Novac before dark. Let it go," Jessup said, slapping his friend's arm.

"Fine. But it isn't as though we can just forget about what they did to us at Bitter Springs."

They entered into the small, rundown town without any trouble. The few NCR rangers that were here were off duty, and could care less about the Khans that arrived with Benny. They took a moment to check out what was going on before Benny told them to move on.

"Looks like they are here for some much needed hey-hey," Benny laughed, watching as the rangers drank merrily and talked with the local women.

"Some what?" Jessup grunted. "Can you speak regular words instead of your weird city slang?"

"He means they are here to get laid, you dumbass," Melissa sighed, shaking her head.

"Oh."

"You know what? Maybe we should go see if they have some water before we head on out," McMurphy suggested, immediately breaking from the group.

Growling in annoyance, Benny came to a halt. Melissa went after her fellow tribe member, leaving Jessup to hang with the leader of the Chairmen. Jessup cupped his hands around his mouth to yell at his fellow Khans over the noise of the small festival that was going on.

"Hurry up and no funny business!"

Melissa waved him off as she pursued McMurphy. Grumbling something, Jessup turned back to Benny, who was smoking a cigarette and slapping his lid open and shut on his Zippo lighter.

"Let's hope they get back before the Powder Gangers come in here with guns blazing," Jessup stated.

Benny didn't say anything. He could care less about the escaped convicts. There was something else that was bothering him. He felt like he was being watched. He kept trying to tell himself it was just nerves. He was ready to get back to the Strip. As he turned away from the Khan beside him, he looked up to the ridge on the outskirts of town. His eyes caught the sight of what was troubling him.

There was a group of Legion scouts watching from the ridge, a few even had binoculars. Benny narrowed his eyes, watching their movements. Yep, they were definitely planning on attacking Nipton. Benny could care less, so long as he wasn't around. He was just glad that even though he had been living the civilized life for the last seven years, his perception and instincts were still right on the spot.

"We need to leave. Now," Benny said, turning and heading for the town's exit, keeping north for Novac.

"What? Hold on! What about Melissa and Murph?"

"I suggest you go get them, or do you feel like getting crucified today?"

"Huh?"

"On the ridge just to the south of here. A bunch of Legion cats, dig? They are on their way here, like now."

"Shit!"

Jessup turned to head deeper into the town and grab his two fellow Khans. Benny waited impatiently, and was relieved that Jessup was quick to get the other two. They immediately set out, not even bothering to say anything to the townsfolk. That would just drag them into it, after all.

"Jess, why are you freaking over the Legion? Remember that Papa Khan is negotiating alliance with them against the NCR?" McMurphy asked as they headed out.

They walked straight over the railroad tracks and followed along on the torn up highway as it went uphill. More rocky and barren terrain continued to surround them.

"That doesn't mean his whole army knows that. Besides, it's only talk right now."

After following the highway for awhile in silence, they saw themselves coming upon a group of Legionaries walking along the road. They were not the same ones Benny saw, but they were sure this group was heading straight to Nipton. They were easily spotted, and so had no choice but to converse with them as they crossed paths.

"What do we have here? A group of degenerates?" the soldier, a Decanus, snorted. He was wearing a coyote pelt over his shoulder and head, with the coyote's head acting as a hat.

"Do ya get fleas while wearing that dog on your head?" Benny asked.

"What did you just say to me?"

"What? Ya got a hearing problem, fink?" Benny asked, smirking.

"Ahh, Benny, what are you doing?" Jessup asked.

"Don't mind him. He's just an asshole. We're Great Khans. Caesar and our tribe leader are discussing alliance."

"So, I've heard," the Legion soldier said. He glared at Benny. "You better watch your tongue, knave."

"Who you calling a knave? Don't you have some towns to burn or something?"

"You're lucky that we do," he said coolly, turning and heading out with his men.

The groups went their separate ways. The Khans were glaring at Benny as soon as they knew they were off of the hook.

"What the hell were you thinking? You trying to get us all killed? Not to mention that isn't going to go over well with our alliance," McMurphy snapped.

"Why are you so bent on having an alliance with them?" Benny asked.

"Because," Melissa sighed. "Caesar promised us the whole western territory in and around Red Rock Canyon. Something the NCR would never do."

Benny laughed, rolling his eyes. "Boy, how gullible can ya finks be? He ain't called the Conqueror of 86 Tribes for nothing. I guess yours will just be number 87."

They grew quiet, and Benny was satisfied. The Great Khans were in rough times, he knew. They were once large and powerful, but as more and more dispersed to spread the clan, the more trouble they got into with other tribes and factions. Benny's tribe was no exception. Their tribes were all the time fighting over resources and territory.

"How can you stand there and keep calling us finks when you used to live just like us not even a decade ago?" Melissa asked, bristling.

"Are you jealous, baby?"

"Why would I be jealous of you?"

"I don't know…maybe because my clan has luxurious pads, food, water, medical treatment all day every day. You guys still have to scrap for that, dig? I don't miss the old days a single bit."

"It sounds nice, but I highly doubt our tribe would subject ourselves to turning into a bunch of domesticated dogs for House to control."

"Yeah, no wonder a lot of your tribe left when you took over as leader," snorted McMurphy. "And most of them were the women, now that has to say something."

"Bingo must have been a better leader if almost half of the tribe just up and left after you took over," Jessup added.

Benny twitched a smile. They were passing by Ranger Station Charlie now. The few NCR troopers that were stationed up front only watched them curiously as they passed by on the road, and continued north to Novac. "Yeah, some of the tribe left 'cause they couldn't stop the drive of being nomadic. It's fine with me, of course. They all ended up dead because they had no chief. And of course Bingo was a great leader. How many of your kind did he kill again? I forget…"

"Speaking of which…how did you kill Bingo? I mean the man was a mountain, and you…well, not so much," Melissa asked.

"He challenged me to the knife when the tribe was having trouble deciding to take House's offer or stay nomadic. Since I was always ready to counter his reasons for why we should've stayed nomadic, he thought it would only be right to see which one of us would make the better leader."

"And you won? Just like that?" McMurphy asked, sounding unconvinced.

"Don't sound so surprised."

"Up ahead, more company," Melissa informed them.

It was a single man, young maybe in his mid to late twenties, and he was walking along the railroad tracks that ran parallel to the road they were on. He had the look of a mercenary, clad in dark combat armor and shouldering a rifle and shotgun as well as having a holster for a couple of handguns. He had a small duffle bag in one hand, and his free hand was set close to his nearest gun as he watched them closely.

The man had untidy dark hair and blue eyes. There was a distinct scar, thin and clean like from a blade, that went from his cheek bone down to his jaw line on his left side.

"Evening," he said to them. His tone was cautious. "Is Ranger Station Charlie this way?"

"Yeah, just keep heading down the road a bit," Jessup answered, waving back behind them. "Don't know why you would want to go to the bears for though."

The young mercenary shrugged. "I'm new to these parts."

Benny eyed him suspiciously. The young man did seem out of place here. For a moment, the two men seemed to study each other with an air of tolerance. Benny was sure that the mercenary found it odd to see a man like him with a group of misfit Khans.

"Well, thanks for the information. Travel safely," the man said, keeping on the tracks and heading south towards the NCR station.

"That was…odd," Jessup stated.

"Very," Benny agreed.

They reached the town of Novac by the time the sun started to set on the horizon. The two story tall, green tyrannosaurs rex statue was dirty and beat up, but stood out for miles around. They got their rooms and were on their way back outside to meet up with Manny Vargas. Instead, Benny bumped into an older, dirty man that looked to be lost or confused.

He grinned at Benny with dirty teeth. "Ahh, look at you, stranger! You be is smart wearing that checkered jacket. I know there is be aliens about that can only see in black and white checker pattern! But listen, listen! You forgot your face and pants! They can still see you, my friend!"

Benny blinked, suddenly fighting the urge to roll out in laughter. He could hear Jessup, Melissa, and McMurphy behind him snickering at this crazy old loon. Instead, the head of the Chairmen just smiled and nodded.

"I will…be sure to fix it right away. Who are you again?"

"No-bark Nooman! But shhhh! If anyone asks! We never spoke! I'm still chasing after that gecko that is half leprechaun. He took my gold away! And my gerbil!"

The old man headed off, still muttering to himself. The Great Khans broke out into hushed laughter, and Benny turned to face them. He shook his head at the three once they collected themselves.

"Wow, that's just sad. Do ya see what your drugs are doing to people? That cat's over the moon," Benny asked, twitching a smirk.

"We don't sell whatever the hell he's on!" Melissa laughed.

A man stepped out of his room not far behind them. He was heading to the dinosaur statue with a sniper rifle and a red beret on his head. The man wore sunglasses, with simple mercenary attire. He glared at them as he passed. The beret's insignia told him he was NCR.

They saw Manny heading their way, the same kind of beret on his head, along with a little heavier combat armor, and a shouldered sniper rifle. When the two men crossed paths, they only paused a moment for quick words. The sniper with the sunglasses then headed towards the t-rex statue alone.

Manny grinned when he saw the three Khans. Melissa cried out his name in joy, rushing up to him and slamming into him with a big hug. McMurphy and Jessup slapped handshakes with their fellow tribe mate. Manny had left the Great Khans many years ago, and joined the NCR. This was way before the bitterness between NCR and the Khans developed, of course.

"It's good to see you again, bud," Jessup laughed. Manny looked very close to the same as when he left. His tan skin and trim cut black mustache were the same. By the looks of his head and beret, it seemed that Manny dropped the crazy mohawk like what Jessup had.

"You look great!" Melissa exclaimed.

"Thanks, guys, it's good to see you too. And what's this? Benny? Wow, now this is strange. I hear your tribe's been domesticated and is one of the Three Families on the Strip."

"That's right."

"You mean 'ol crazy Bingo dropped being nomadic just like that?" Manny asked, surprised.

"Bingo's dead," Benny replied.

"Oh, wow. Who's chief then?"

"You're lookin' at him."

"Really? Well, guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Just like your old man before Bingo right? Course, if I remember correctly, Cash wasn't as crazy as Bingo was."

"What about you, Manny? How have you been?" McMurphy asked.

"I'm trying to settle down. My days as a 1st Recon Sharpshooter are over. That guy that just passed us that I talked to, he was my partner. I spotted for him, his name is Craig Boone. Well, we aren't so much on friendly terms right now, but he hasn't been with anyone."

"Why's that?" Jessup asked.

"His wife disappeared. I think he blames me because I used to argue with her all the time. I can't help if the woman was a total bitch. I don't think any of the town misses her. She went out of her way to be mean. She just hated it here, and wanted to be on the Strip. Anyways, she is gone. No one knows if she just left him to go by herself or if something happened to her." Manny then grinned and shook his head. "But what the hell am I babbling about? Tell me what's up with the four of you! Our tribes were always fighting, and now you're all traveling together?"

"It's strictly business of course," Benny said, lighting a cigarette.

"Trust us, we do not want to be waltzing around with him just for the fun of it," Melissa grumbled.

"Ditto," the Chairmen leader muttered.

"So what's the business?" Manny inquired curiously.

"Let's just say I dumped a broad in Goodsprings," Benny explained. "A hot broad…What? She was hot."

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Do you men ever get your minds out of the gutter?"

"We're heading to Boulder City to meet up with Carlos and Rachelle. Benny's gonna pay us there and head out on his own. I wish that was now," McMurphy added, glaring at the man in the checkered jacket.

Benny eased a sly grin. "Be careful what ya wish for, pally."

"Wait a minute…you needed to hire them to dump your girlfriend?" Manny asked, confused.

"She was a crazy broad, total batshit loony. And hot. Did I mention that already?"

"Yes, you did," Melissa retorted, glaring at him. "And she was just a poor, defenseless courier minding her own business."

"Right, right," Benny mumbled, grinding his cigarette butt into the ground. He blew the last drag out through his mouth, right in Melissa's face.

"Benny, I swear I'm about to kick your ass in public," she warned.

"I might like that, baby."

Melissa hissed out in annoyance, lunging for him but was caught by Manny and Jessup. "You freaking prick!"

"Calm down, Melissa!" Jessup exclaimed.

"Yeah, I don't want any trouble!" Manny put in.

"You mean…you're in charge here?" McMurphy asked.

"Well, the town takes care of itself," Manny explained, letting go of Melissa as she calmed down. "Jeannie May Crawford, the woman who gave you your rooms, she handles most of everything. But when it's trouble, it's me and Boone who step up and take care of it."

"Really, you act as though I have wronged you every chance I got," Benny sighed, shaking his head. "That hurts, ya know?"

"Probably because you have," McMurphy grumbled.

"Really? Let's see…how many fights have our tribes got into since I took over?"

Jessup hesitated, and then reluctantly answered him. "…None."

"And how much did our tribes clash when Bingo was leader? Or with my father, Cash? Or with Swank's father, Sinatra? Oh yeah, a lot weren't there?"

"Alright, we see your point," Melissa snipped. "But only because you are living on the Strip. If your clan was still out here, you wouldn't be any different from them."

Benny shrugged. "Well, I'm turning in. You cats have fun. It was good seeing you again, Manny."

"Yeah, as strange as it is," Manny replied.

"Don't get any funny ideas and slink off without us. We want that pay," McMurphy stated as Benny headed to his room.

"Right Mr. McMurphy, I am just gonna slink off in the middle of the night all by myself and head back to the Strip."

Benny entered into his small, dirty motel room. He took a moment to look it over, not at all admiring the decorations. He pulled Maria out along with the Platinum Chip. The silver 9mm pistol with the ivory handle gleamed under the light in the room. The barrel of the gun was engraved with floral and ivy details. The ivory grip held a modest image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She was a well known Catholic figure in the biblical Woman of the Apocalypse. The image was painted, but had a polish nickel finish.

It had once been his mother's gun. He took it after she was killed. The gun meant a lot to him, and had helped him through the struggle that was life in the Mojave Wasteland. He checked to see if Maria was loaded, and then sat it down on the bedside table.

Benny then turned his attention to the oversized poker chip. He slightly smiled upon looking at its metallic appearance, and flipped it like a coin once more before setting it down beside his handgun. He knew the chip was going to get him and his tribe on the top of New Vegas. Still, the more he thought about it, the more he did start to feel a little guilty killing the courier woman. There had been something unique about her, something that had caught his interest. Benny had no idea what, but it wasn't as though he could find out now. At least he had the honor to shoot her himself and bury her. Anyone else would have just left her to rot.

Whether the Great Khans outside believed him or not, he had also did the same thing for Chance. The mute Khan that had also been apart of their group wanted to die. He didn't want to let go of his past, that massacre at Bitter Springs. So Benny gave him the leftovers of a poison that he had made with Swank before the trip that would kill him painlessly. Benny knew if he hadn't, the mute Khan would have found a way to kill himself instead.

Benny was then reminded of the original use the poison was used for. One of the only older members of his tribe, a man named Frankie, that had stayed with Benny and the rest of the tribe to renovate the Tops could not let go of the past either. It wasn't as though Benny could blame him. Most of his tribe that were now the Chairmen were the younger generation males leftover from the Boot Riders. It was hard to settle down after living the life of a nomad. But soon Frankie was causing trouble within the casino and the Strip as he desperately tried to rally followers within the Chairmen to go back to being nomadic. Benny and Swank had no choice but to end the life of one of their own family members.

Benny sighed, sitting down on the bed. _I ain't no saint…but it isn't as though you have much of a choice these days…_

***************************************************************************************************************************************

"Holy shit this hill is huge!" Chloe exclaimed, craning her neck and seeing that she would have to follow the I-15 up this monster of a hill to the Mojave Outpost. The hill was littered with burned and crashed cars and large trucks, probably back when the bombs hit a couple centuries ago. On the top of the hill were two huge statues made out of scrap metal and junk that had to have stood five stories or so. The statues were of two men shaking hands. Chloe could recognize it from here. This was where the NCR made a treaty with the Desert Rangers of Nevada in this region. The Rangers were successfully merged into the Republic and were now some of the top soldiers in the faction, wearing their distinct dark armor, masks and the thick brown trench coat.

ED-E beeped noisily at her, and then flew off. Chloe watched as the Eyebot attacked some large mutated ants that were hanging around, killing them off quickly with its laser guns. The robot came back to her, chirping almost as though it was happy with itself for killing the ants for her.

"Wow, you are handy," she told it. "Well, let's get our exercise!"

She trekked up the steep hill with ED-E close in tow. The Eyebot beeped and trilled like it was talking to her, but Chloe had no idea how to speak robot. She knew she would have to take time to check the Eyebot over. Johnson Nash spoke the truth when he said the Eyebot acted strangely. She was sure it just needed a tune up and some new parts.

Chloe was well-fit and athletic, but the steep hill drove a lot out of her just by its steepness and the heat from the overbearing sun. By the time she was crossing under the statues and entering the outpost, her head was spinning and her ears were ringing. Her head started to throb, and Chloe knew she needed to sit down. She walked into the large gated area, heading straight for the nearest door as dizziness took over.

She entered into a saloon with several caravan drivers and NCR soldiers sitting around. Chloe clumsily went to the nearest stool and fell on it. The woman next to her turned to look at her. Chloe was hissing in pain, trying to focus on getting the world to stop spinning.

"Have too much to drink?" the woman asked.

"Huh? No, I got shot in the head and I am having a dizzy spell."

"Oh. Well, it's not everyday that someone tells me that," she sighed.

Once her vision became normal and the ringing stopped, Chloe was able to give the woman her undivided attention. The woman wore a cowboy hat and her auburn hair was up in a bun. She had on a brown jacket, with a faded red and white plaid shirt underneath. She also wore a pair of tight jeans and some old boots. A rifle was strapped across her shoulder as she sat at the bar guzzling down whiskey.

Chloe raised her eyebrows as she took a deep gulp right out of the bottle without even flinching. Chloe could have gagged. As an NCR man came over and caught sight, he had the same expression. The woman glared at him.

"Keep those eyes up and turning or I will set them spinning," she growled.

The man immediately slinked off. If he had a tail, Chloe was sure it would have been between his legs. She blinked as the woman turned back to her.

"Men."

"Uhh…you alright?" Chloe asked.

"Alright? No. I'm trying to drink to forget and it's only making me mad. Whiskey always gets my temper back, especially back West…until I punched enough people, then they learned to lay low when the bottle hit."

"What are you trying to forget?"

"Lost my caravan while I was heading north. One of my drivers got burned to ash. They didn't even take the cargo, they just burned that too. I came back here, but I didn't know Jackson had everyone all locked up tighter than a New Vegas virgin," she then snorted contemptuously. "Says the roads aren't safe. Well, no shit you old fuckup. I don't need a Brotherhood Scribe to tell me that."

"Wow, that's weird. Why would they just burn everything? Doesn't sound like raiders."

"My guess is Legion. They've been trying to cut NCR supplies for awhile now. Still, something smells fishy to me. I guess it doesn't matter much anymore. I sold what was left of my cargo, along with the family business name to the Crimson Caravan. My only option is to head back home to California…but I don't want to go with my tail between my legs. I really let Dad down."

"Why did you sell it to them?"

"Only way to get enough caps to go home."

Chloe eased an assuring smile as the woman gulped down more whiskey. "I'm sure your father will understand."

"Ahh, he's been gone a long time. Probably dead. I'd rather not talk about it."

"I'm Chloe. Chloe Maye. It's nice to meet you," Chloe stated, extending her hand.

The woman hesitated, and then took her hand and shook. "I'm Rose of Sharon Cassidy. Just call me Cass. I hate Rose. So, what's your story, Chloe?"

"I came from New Reno," she answered, lowering her eyes. "Lost my dad and my dog. My mom died when I was little, but they were all I had. So, I get here and this asshole in a black and white checkered jacket shoots me in the face and nearly kills me. Yeah, I don't think my luck is turning around."

"Wow, that's rough. Why did he shoot you?"

"I was a courier for the Mojave Express. My first job since I got here in this region. I was carrying this oversized poker chip composed of platinum. I guess it was worth something to him, because he almost killed me over it with his hired Great Khans. Anyways, I'm trying to track him down."

"Oooh, revenge huh?"

"Not quite sure yet. I hope."

"I guess we both have learned that we should have stayed home," Cass sighed.

"Hey! Whose robot is this? He's bumping into me on purpose!" called an NCR soldier.

"Hey! ED-E! Stop that! Bad Eyebot! Bad!" Chloe called, jumping out of her chair and rushing over to the robot.

It was beeping in annoyance. Chloe used her Pip-Boy to restart the Eyebot's grid. ED-E started whistling and went back to acting normal.

"Sorry. It needs some work," she said to the soldier.

Chloe went back over to Cass. "Well, I better be heading out. I'm supposed to give a message to this Jackson guy and then I will be heading to Nipton to follow that guy."

"I'll be downing this whiskey and staring at that fucking wall across from me. It was good talking to a normal person for once, thanks. I guess I should be planning my trip home since I no longer have the caravan."

Chloe thought for a moment. Maybe Cass could come along. The older woman didn't seem like she wanted to go home, and she definitely didn't want to stay here. Chloe could use all the help she could get, and Cass probably knew the region well as a caravan driver.

"Look, umm, if you want we could travel together. I don't have much caps right now, but I would pay you. I think I could use some help tracking this guy down."

"Thanks for the offer, Chloe, but it would be best for me to just head back home."

Chloe nodded, smiling graciously. "Of course. Take care, Cass."

"You too."

She left with ED-E to head over to the other building. She met up with Ranger Jackson and gave him the message from Primm. They talked briefly, but only about the events in Primm. Soon, Chloe was heading out towards Nipton. She stood below the two giant statues, looking down the steep hill once again. At the bottom of the hill, the I-15 had a right exit onto Highway 164 that would lead her straight into Nipton.

"Can you believe these two statues?"

Chloe jumped at the voice, turning to see Cass walking up with a small shoulder bag and her rifle. "Huh?"

"It's almost ridiculous. All it is, is NCR showing its dick to all the East. If the Republic cared as much about the people as they did about these two asinine statues, I think things would be better off. I don't know about you, but two men shaking hands covered in blood is not something to brag about."

"Covered in blood?" Chloe echoed, craning her neck up to look at the statues.

"I'm speaking figuratively," Cass chuckled, but soon the smile dropped. "Course when Caesar comes through here, there will be blood for real. And when the blood dries in the sun, he will melt these two down and shape it into a bull."

"Let's hope that don't happen," Chloe mumbled, looking to the east. "Travel safely, Cass."

"You mean we can travel safely."

Chloe turned back to her, twitching a smile. "What? Change your mind?"

"I got tired of staring at that fucking wall."

The two women and the robot headed out. By the time they got onto Highway 164 ED-E was checking out Cass curiously and creating a series of strange noises. Cass gave the Eyebot a strange look.

"Is this thing cussing me out in robot?"

"It's just temperamental. I need to make time to see if I can fix it," Chloe sighed. "But it does a good job at spotting trouble for me."

They talked as they headed for Nipton, easily getting to know each other. ED-E buzzed around them, keeping alert. As they were nearing the town, they saw the smoke and fire. But most of all, they spotted the blood red flag with a gold bull hanging up at the entrance.

"Shit, we should head back," Cass stated, immediately stopping.

"What? This is the only way through to Novac. I can't stop."

"Do you want to be taken as a slave?" Cass growled.

ED-E beeped shrilly, and soon a group of Legion soldiers were surrounding them. Chloe immediately told the robot to stand down. The leader of the group, a Frumentarii, stepped forth wearing a fox head and cloth over his own head and shoulders.

"Relax, we aren't going to kill you," he said. "I am Vulpes Inculta, leader of Caesar's Frumentarii. It's good that you two were able to stumble upon the destruction of Nipton. I want you to spread the word of its demise and the lessons we taught here, especially to the NCR."

Chloe took a deep breath to try and keep down her growing anger and hatred. "What "lessons" did you teach here?"

"This was a town of whores. NCR soldiers and Powder Gangers came here often to join in on its little festivities, but only at a price. They were all so cowardly, only caring about themselves. Truly sad indeed."

"Your crimes are unforgivable," Cass hissed.

"As are all crimes," Vulpes stated. "If you feel that strongly about it, then attack us. You soon won't feel a thing."

The two women didn't do anything. Vulpes gave a smug smirk and nodded to his fellow Legionaries. The group headed off along with a few mongrel dogs they used in the army.

Chloe and Cass looked upon the destruction of Nipton. There were decapitated heads on spears, burning houses and bodies. A row of crosses along each side of the town's main street held Powder Gangers crucified and bleeding, barely alive. It would kill them to remove them from the crosses.

"Those sick fucks," Cass snapped, looking away.

"Let's go," Chloe sighed, tears swelling in her eyes.

They were quick to leave the burning town behind, crossing the railroad tracks and following the highway towards Novac. The two women were quiet for a long while, only the sounds of ED-E's buzzing and the wind keeping it from silence.

Chloe checked the time on her Pip-Boy by the time they got into town. It was getting into the evening. Chloe wondered if they would be able to find the men who tried to kill her here. Cass helped her ask around about the men.

Jeannie May Crawford, who was already trying to get them to stay in the little motel behind the huge dinosaur statue, said the men were here, and had talked to Manny Vargas. Chloe knew it was getting late, and so she and Cass agreed to get a room just to be safe. Cass left with ED-E with some of Chloe's caps to get them a room.

On her way over there, an older man with gray shaggy hair in dirty clothes came strolling by. When she looked at him, he quickly put his finger to his mouth. "Shh! The chupacabra will hear you!"

"Huh?"

"It's killing McBride's Brahmin! It's the livestock vampire, don't ya know? Only this one has an automatic weapon! And he's invisible! And he argues with himself!"

"Uhh, okay. Have you seen a guy in a checkered coat around here?"

"Sure have! I know he was smart enough to wear it for them there extra terrestrials that can only see in black and white checkers, but he ain't fooling them completely because he forgot his pants and head! I told him so and he took it to heart!"

"Are they still here?"

"Nah, this was last night. They stayed the night here in the motel and was talking to the sniper with the mustache in the dinosaur a lot. They left real early this morning. It's better that way. Those rabbits get real hungry in the morning and could eat their shoes!"

Chloe slumped her shoulders. "Thanks."

Chloe entered the dinosaur through the door and small staircase by the tail-end. The small gift shot was dark and dingy, but Chloe easily saw the staircase up to the t-rex's mouth. There was a black man standing on the other side of the counter, giving her a friendly grin.

"Welcome to the Dino Bite Gift Shop! My name is Cliff. How can I help you?"

"Is Manny upstairs?"

"Yes, his shift is about over. Boone should be coming in anytime. Who're you? How do you know Manny?"

"I don't. My name is Chloe. I'm looking for a man in a checkered jacket who came through here with a few Khans."

"Oh them. The guy in the checkered jacket looked so familiar but for the life of me I couldn't remember where I saw him. Manny used to be with the Great Khans, so he was happy to talk to a few of his old tribe mates."

"Thanks," Chloe said, heading upstairs.

She came out into the t-rex's mouth. It was the perfect sniper's nest up here. The man in front of her yawned and stretched after shouldering his sniper rifle. He turned around, but was surprised to see her.

"Oh, you're definitely not Boone. Can I help you?"

"Are you Manny?"

"Yeah, I do security detail here. Me and Boone. Did ya need something?"

Chloe eased a smile. "Uhh yeah, I'm looking for a man in a checkered jacket. I hear from the townsfolk that you spoke with him and the Great Khans he was with."

"Yeah, I know him. I used to be with the Khans, the ones with him were old buddies of mine. What do ya want with him?"

Manny seemed guarded now, like he was suspicious of her. Chloe thought fast, trying to think of a lie that would get on the same side as the Khans and the man who shot her. "Uh, he's a friend. Boyfriend…yeah…"

Manny's eyebrows rose. "Oh jeez, you must be the girl he dumped in Goodsprings! He told me about you."

_He sure did dump me alright…_

"Man, Benny wasn't kidding, you are hot."

"What?" she grunted. _So his name is Benny…_

"Why would Benny dump you?"

"Because he's a pompous asshole that's why," Chloe retorted, crossing her arms.

Manny grinned ear to ear. "I like you. Alright, alright. He went to Boulder City. That's where he was going to pay my old tribe mates and go on his own way."

"Thanks a lot," Chloe said. "Glad to hear I am catching up to him."

"Good luck, sweetheart," Manny sighed.

Chloe left the dinosaur's mouth and headed down into the gift shop. As she was closing the door to the shop to head down the stairs and find Cass, a man's voice snapped at her and made her jump. Her foot slipped off of the deck and she almost fell, but was caught by strong arms.

The man pulled her to her feet, looking at her suspiciously. "Who are you?"

Chloe was confused as she dusted herself off. "Uh thanks. I'm Chloe. You must be Boone."

He wore the same beret that Manny had on, as well as a sniper rifle on his shoulder. He was definitely more serious and stiff than Manny, she could tell by his composure. "Yeah, what of it?"

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me? Are you this rude to everyone? I was just trying to be friendly."

"I don't have friends here."

"I'm not from here."

He raised his eyebrows. Chloe gave a triumphant smirk. Boone heaved a sigh. "Look, this town doesn't even look me in the eye anymore. You're a stranger. Maybe I can trust you. It's a start anyway."

Chloe was baffled. "You trust strangers?"

"I said it was a start. Listen, my wife was sold to a group of Legion slavers. They came at night and only took her. Someone here in town sold her, and I want to know who it was. Do you think you could check for me? I will make it worth your while."

Chloe wasn't sure, but then she really took a good look at his eyes. He was lost and broken…similar to her. Closing her eyes, she slowly nodded at him. "Sure. I will check it out."

"If you find out who it is, come back to me and I will explain further. I work nights up in the dinosaur. Are you staying the night here?"

"Yes."

The door to the gift shop opened, and Manny came out. He yawned while looking at Boone. "C'mon, Boone, your shift has start-oh…sorry."

Manny seemed curious about Boone and Chloe talking. Boone gave her one last look, and headed up to his post. Chloe walked down the rest of the steps with Manny.

"Poor guy. Do you know what happened to his wife?"

"She just went missing. We haven't been on friendly terms with it. I never got along with Carla. She was used to living on the Strip, and hated it here. She went out of her way to be rude, and had no friends. She didn't want any. She upset a lot of people here. We're all thinking she just up and left. She's been trying to get Boone to leave for a long while. Guess she just got tired of waiting."

She split up from Manny, heading towards Cass and ED-E who were talking to Jeannie May Crawford near the entrance to the motel. She heard a rolling, metallic motion behind her and spun.

"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! Why ain't it my good friend from Goodsprings!" Victor greeted, his little cowboy head on screen flickering. The Securitron stood out here as much as he did in Goodsprings.

"What are you doing in Novac?" Chloe asked, instantly remembering what she learned from Nash in Primm.

"Don't know really. Just got the notion to head to New Vegas. Reckon I'll find out when I get there."

"Quite a coincidence us meeting like this."

"Seeing as this is the only road around, I'd be rightly surprised if we didn't run into each other time to time."

"Well," Chloe sighed. "It's good to see a friendly face anyways."

"Likewise friend! Likewise! What can 'ol Vic do for ya?"

"Look, I'm just gonna cut to the chase. Johnson Nash in Primm told me it was you who hired all the couriers. What is it that you aren't telling me?"

"I don't reckon I understand what you are saying. I didn't hire any couriers. Why would I need 'em? You sure he didn't mix me up with someone else?"

_Forget it…he isn't going to talk…_

"Never mind. I guess I will see ya later, Victor."

"Be seeing ya, Chloe!" Victor hollered as she left.

She was quick to meet up with Cass and they went to their room to check it out. ED-E searched the small hotel room curiously. There were two twin beds in rundown place. They dropped their supplies and sat down for a break.

"So, did you find out anything?" Cass inquired.

"Yeah, they left this morning for Boulder City."

"Well, that isn't too far from here. Maybe they are staying there for the night. If we leave early in the morning, we should catch them easily."

Chloe nodded, eyes falling to her feet. "Yeah."

"Oh, and that Jeannie May woman? Did you know she sold a woman to the Legion? She left me alone in her office to go in the back and grab something and I well…just kinda checked things out. Found the receipt."

Chloe's eyes widened. "You what? Did you take it?"

"Yeah, along with a bottle of unopened whiskey that was out."

"Let me see the receipt," Chloe said.

Cass reached into her pocket, and handed the slip of paper to her. Chloe read it over and her eyes grew wide. "What a hag! I will be right back!"

"Hey, whoa! You can't take it back to her," Cass snapped.

"I'm not. I'm taking it to Boone. This was his wife."

"Oh…so he is gonna kill her? Does that mean we get our caps back?"

Chloe couldn't help but to chuckle. Cass stayed put in the room as Chloe ran up to the dinosaur's mouth to show Boone the receipt.

She found him on watch in the dinosaur's mouth. The sun was all the way set, and the stars were starting to form in the dark sky. He whirled around, glaring at her.

"Goddamn it, don't sneak up on me like that."

"Oh, sorry. Look, my friend Cass stole this from Jeannie May."

She handed him the bill of sale. Boone looked it over, and she watched as his eyes narrowed. He crushed the paper in his fist, jaw clenching. "Alright. Find a way to get her in front of the dinosaur so I can finish this."

"How?"

"Just make up a story. If you hurry, you should catch her in the motel lobby before she leaves to go home."

Chloe left back outside, where she bumped into Cass. "Where's ED-E?"

"He's acting as guard dog to our room. What is going on?" Cass asked.

"Let's get Jeannie May in front of the t-rex statue, and then I will explain."

"Great," Cass grumbled as they entered into the motel lobby.

The older woman smiled at the two women. "Why hello there! Do you two young ladies need anything else while you are staying here?"

"Actually, yes. I found a bag of supplies out in front of the dinosaur. I wanted to show you to see if it looked like it belonged to anyone here."

Jeannie May looked confused. "Alright, lead the way."

Chloe and Cass led the older woman outside and to the outskirts of town. Cass was glaring at Chloe, wanting answers, but Chloe put a finger to her lips to tell her companion to hush it. As soon as they were in front of the t-rex statue, Jeannie May opened her mouth to speak to them and only got about half a sentence out before a loud shot blared and her head exploded.

"Nice," Cass growled. She looked up into the dinosaur's mouth, barely seeing Boone and his rifle. "So this hag sold his wife to the Legion?"

"Yep."

"I think I'm going to bed now," Cass sighed. "After I enjoy that bottle of whiskey I snagged though."

They walked back together, but split up so Cass could return to their room, and Chloe could return to Boone. The 1st Recon sharpshooter faced her. He seemed a little more relaxed now, and very tired.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "Here. It's a hundred caps. All I have right now."

He handed her a small bag of caps. Chloe nodded at him. "It's fine. Thank you. So what will you do now?"

"I don't know. I probably won't be staying here. Maybe I will wander…like you."

"I'm trying to find a guy in a checkered jacket named Benny. He shot me in the head and took something that belongs to me. I heard from Manny that he went to Boulder City, so Cass and I will be heading that way tomorrow."

"Yeah, I saw him last night. He is the leader of the Chairmen."

"The Chairmen?"

"Yeah, they run the Tops hotel and casino. I remember him from when I was stationed at the Strip for awhile."

"Is there anything else you can tell me about him?"

"Not really."

"Thanks, I guess I will be getting back to my room. Good luck with everything."

"Yeah," he mumbled, turning to look back out of the t-rex's mouth. "Wait…You don't seem like you are from around here."

Chloe paused upon turning the knob on the door. "I'm not. I came from New Reno. Lost everything. My first day on the job as a courier got me a bullet to the head."

"Look, I really feel as though I didn't pay you enough for what you just did for me. Maybe we could travel together and I can help you take this guy down…so long as you hate the Legion of course."

Chloe grinned. "Are you kidding? I hate the bastards, and so does Cass. Are you sure, Boone?"

He twitched a tiny smirk. "Yeah. Better than staying here."

"Great! We're heading out in the morning. Will you-"

"I'll get plenty of rest now. Don't worry."

Chloe felt relieved. Things were finally starting to turn up. She was gaining allies now. And though it still hurt her inside to know that Dad and Shadow were never coming back, it made it easier to know that she was at least making friends.


	5. Caught in the Crossfire

### Chapter 4: Caught in the Crossfire

Boulder City was just a shadow of its former self. After the first attack on Hoover Dam four years ago, it had still remained just a ghost town covered in destruction. The NCR blew the place to hell when they lured Caesar's Legion here the first time in the battle for Hoover Dam.

Right now it was acting as a Great Khan hideout. Benny, Jessup, McMurphy, and Melissa met up with Rachelle and Carlos. Rachelle was one of the finest warriors in the tribe, having blonde pigtails and a choke collar to go with her punk-like looks. Carlos was a bit younger, rash and lively with dark buzz cut hair. There were a handful of other Khans with them. According to Carlos, they were hiding out from the NCR's nearby patrol.

"Hey McMurphy! What's up?" Carlos asked, slapping handshakes with his close friend.

"Carlos, good to see ya, man," McMurphy replied.

"Why the hell do you have him tagging along?" Rachelle asked, glaring sourly at Benny.

"You dames are too bitter," Benny chuckled.

"Hmm, I wonder why," Melissa muttered, walking over to Rachelle.

"Easy, everyone. Let's just get this over peacefully, huh?" Jessup asked.

"You're a high rollin' kind of cat, Jessup," Benny stated. "That is the ring-a-ding way to go. I promised you ten thousand caps for the job, and I will hold true to my word."

Rachelle and Carlos's eyes widened. "Ten thousand!" they exclaimed in unison, and then looked to their tribe mates.

"What kind of job did you guys do?" Carlos grunted.

"This is great! The tribe needs this money bad!" Rachelle exclaimed.

"So where is it?" McMurphy growled.

"I'm having a contact bring it here. You didn't think I would carry that much on me, did ya pally?" Benny answered coolly.

McMurphy drew his handgun, pointing it at Benny. "You aren't moving until I see the money."

"Uhh, Murph? C'mon, man. He's a tribe leader, and I don't know about you, but I don't want anymore trouble from the NCR. You know the NCR will back up the Families over us."

"I don't care, Jess! I know he's a damn fox! I'm trying to protect us, dammit."

"It's good to know that at least one of you ain't so gullible," Benny chuckled, slowly reaching into his jacket to pull out Maria.

"Shit! We're surrounded!" Carlos exclaimed.

Out of the rubble and destruction of the nearby buildings came several NCR soldiers with weapons raised and ready on the group of Great Khans. Benny didn't move, a smirk on his face as some of the soldiers came over to stand next to him.

"You fucking snake-in-the-grass!" Melissa snapped.

"Ah, jeez, I feel real bad 'bout this, dig? But old habits die hard, ya know? Did you really expect me to pay you after our tribes' bloody history? My tribe may be living the high life in Vegas, but the bitterness of the past is still there. Aw c'mon, you would do the same thing to me if given the chance."

"You'll pay for this, Benny," Rachelle hissed.

"I probably will one day," Benny replied, shrugging. "But it's a dog-eat-dog world out there, honey. Gotta think of the family back home, dig?"

Benny waved his hand at the NCR, turning and taking steps to head out of Boulder City. The shootout broke out in a frenzy. The Khans scattered, and the NCR troops went after them. Benny checked over his shoulder to make sure his back was covered, and his eyes widened as he saw McMurphy running his way with a hole already in his abdomen. The dark skinned Khan aimed his pistol and yelled out at Benny.

Benny took off running, feeling the bullets whiz past his skin by inches. He aimed Maria behind him as he ran, firing a few rounds at the pursuing Khan. One bullet caught his shoulder, but the man kept coming. Benny saw Jessup and Melissa catching up fast.

Benny skidded to a halt, turning around and aiming the pistol at the oncoming McMurphy. Before he could shoot another round, the Chairmen leader fired a single bullet that slammed home in McMurphy's chest. The Great Khan finally collapsed with a yelp, crumbling to the asphalt.

Knowing that Jessup and Melissa wouldn't come after him to tend after their friend, Benny took his chance and slipped out of Boulder City just as more NCR soldiers were flooding into the area.

It didn't take him long to find his way back to Highway 95 and started following it towards New Vegas. He reached for his pack of cigarettes, slipping one in between his lips and then feeling for his lighter. It wasn't on him, and so Benny growled in annoyance. He must have dropped it in the gunfight. He at one time had called that engraved lighter a lucky charm. Well, the Platinum Chip was just going to have to take its place, but it sure as hell wasn't going light his cigarette.

Giving up, Benny decided to make a quick stop at the 188 Trading Post to see if his luck could buy him a new lighter. He wasn't surprised to see that they didn't have any. He would just have to wait until he got back to the Tops to borrow a lighter from one of the guys until he got a new one.

"Hey, I know you. Aren't you from one of the Three Families?"

The female voice caught his interest, and he turned to see a woman wearing a brown cloak. The hood was up over her head, so Benny couldn't see much of her hair or other features besides her face.

"Yes," he answered. "And you are, pussycat?"

"Veronica. So, what's the Strip like? I always wanted to go!"

Benny checked his watch, knowing that he should be going. He started off, unsurprised that the broad started following him. "Uhh, it's Hipsville, dig? It is THE best place around."

"Nice! I totally should go!"

"Yes, you should. But not with me," Benny sighed, stopping to glare at her.

Veronica looked around, noticed that she had followed him down the hill from the trading post. She giggled softly. "Oh. Oops. Sorry."

She turned to start walking back up the hill. Heaving a sigh, Benny pulled out a business card for the Tops. "Hey."

She turned to look at him questioningly. "Hmm?"

"Here. If you ever find yourself on the Strip, come to the Tops. First round free on me, alright?" Benny said. He wrote something on the back of the card. "Just show them this and the Chairmen will take care of ya."

"Oh wow, thanks. That is very kind of you, ahh…what's your name?"

"Benny."

"Thanks," Veronica said, smiling as she took the business card.

"Catch ya later, toots," Benny chuckled, turning and heading off again.

It was going to be a long trip to Freeside. Benny checked the time. It was still early in the morning. He would probably get to the Strip by noon. It couldn't get here any sooner. Benny was ready to settle down and have a drink.

****************************************************************************************************************

The trip north on Highway 95 was proving to be drastically quiet save for ED-E's beeping. Boone wasn't much of a talker. The sniper mostly kept look on the terrain around them. If there was any talking it was mainly Chloe and Cass. Chloe yawned, not having much luck sleeping in the motel at Novac. She was haunted by more dreams of the past, things she wanted to forget.

"If all men were as quiet as him, I think the world would be a better place," Cass chuckled. "But jeez, can't he drop the serious act just a little? He's making me tense."

"I heard that," Boone growled.

"Well, it's true."

"It's alright, Cass," Chloe said, twitching a smile. "Just let him be. He's helping us, isn't he?"

Cass sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

ED-E was beeping madly, his laser pointed towards the ridge to their left. As they looked, they started hearing a man screaming in pain. There was definitely a fight going on over the ridge.

"Shit! We better go help him!" Chloe exclaimed.

"Are you crazy? We could get killed. It's not our place. Besides, I've heard raiders pull that trick plenty of times. One of the oldest in the book," Cass snapped.

"I know the difference between real pain and fake pain, and something is killing him!" Chloe retorted, taking off over the ridge.

Boone and Cass glanced at each other and were after her. ED-E was ahead, beeping noisily. By the time Chloe got over the ridge and slipped down the rocky slope to the other side it had become quiet. There was a man torn and ripped apart at the base of the ridge. Blood was all over, but there was no sign of anything else. It was strange, and it caught Chloe off guard. She pulled her handgun out, checking out the surroundings.

As she was nearing a large boulder to check and see if something was hiding behind it, the creature showed itself. A large beast rose up from behind the boulder, its dragon-like head and horns looking down at her with flaring nostrils. Chloe was frozen, petrified as the creature came out from the boulder. It's muscular, lithe roan body had leathery skin and thick scales, and more spikes covered its body. The long arms held foot-long talons on large fingers. The legs rippled with muscle, and the tail thrashed from side to side as the creature looked her over, towering over her figure.

Chloe was trying to move, but she just couldn't. She knew what was standing before her. It was a full-grown Deathclaw. It opened its mouth and roared out at her. This was Chloe's motivation to bolt for it. The dinosaur-like creature was quick to pursue.

"Shit! A Deathclaw!" Cass called just as she and Boone came over the ridge.

They took out their weapons and started firing. ED-E beeped angrily, flying down towards the running Chloe while shooting its lasers. Chloe aimed behind her and fired as she ran for the ridge. She started up it, slipping on the slope. Boone grabbed her arm and pulled her up. They backed out into the road, but the agile hunter leaped all the way up onto the ridge to pursue them.

"Satisfied now?" Cass barked.

"I'm sorry!" Chloe yelled, firing at the creature.

The Deathclaw roared out, rushing after Boone. It lowered its horns to ram the man like a bull, but Boone rolled out of the way, and the creature slammed into a rock instead. The reptilian creature was quick to recover and ran for Chloe and Cass, taking several more bullets.

Chloe heard more firing from up the road. She looked behind her to see a woman in a brown cloak running for them, shooting a laser pistol. Several of the beams struck the Deathclaw and released blood.

"Chloe! Watch out!" Cass yelled.

Chloe was hit with a hard force. The Deathclaw had knocked her down and roared in her face, letting her see into its gaping mouth full of teeth and rancid breath. A single bullet from Boone took the creature down before it could do the finishing blow on her.

"Damn! That was close! Are you guys alright?" the woman asked, helping Chloe to her feet.

"Uhh, yeah, thanks. You helped us back there."

"No problem. I was just on my way to Hid-I mean home and I saw ya guys in trouble. I'm Veronica."

"I'm Chloe. And this is Boone and Cass. That Eyebot over there is ED-E."

"Let's try sticking to the roads now. It is Deathclaw breeding season. I'm surprised there weren't more than that. I guess we were lucky and just bumped into a roving male," Boone sighed, straightening his beret.

"You call that lucky?" Cass hissed. "We were almost ripped to shreds!"

Veronica's eyes widened. "Nope! There's another one!"

They spun to see another Deathclaw heading their way. Before any of them could start shooting, they heard loud, hoarse voices yelling out behind them. Chloe saw a large group of Super Mutants heading straight their way.

"Uh-oh! Those are Super Mutants from Black Mountain!" Veronica exclaimed. "They must have heard the commotion!"

The Deathclaw completely bypassed them. The huge predator slammed into an armored Super Mutant, locking jaws down on the throat and ripping the mutant open. Blood gushed out everywhere, but the Deathclaw dropped the Super Mutant to impale its horns into another Super Mutant. The Super Mutants were firing their automatic weapons at the creature until it dropped dead.

Chloe felt a presence beside her. She looked to see a shimmering, mirage-like form beside her that glistened in the sun. A crackling noise was heard, and then the mirage turned into a Super Mutant, only this one was a Nightkin. The towering, blue-skinned mutant laughed down at her form.

"Human slave!" the Nightkin roared out, and then a bash to Chloe's head knocked her out cold.

****************************************************************************************************************

Benny was relieved to see the sight of REPCONN Headquarters. It wouldn't be long before he was reaching the gates to Freeside and being home free. He frowned upon seeing a familiar face heading his way. Benny came to a halt as the mercenary reached him, looking just as confused and surprised.

"Hey, you're that guy who was traveling with the Khans yesterday," the mercenary with the scar said.

"Yep. And you're that strange mercenary that was heading to Ranger Station Charlie. How was your stay there?"

The merc shook his head, frowning. "Uhh, got attacked by Legion troops. They ransacked the place. I was the only survivor, I guess 'cuz I wasn't NCR. Instead, they told me to head to Camp Golf to warn the rangers there. Is Camp Golf this way?"

He pointed to one of the highways that led off of the 95. Benny slowly nodded at him, though he couldn't help but to feel suspicious of the guy.

"Yeah, it sits right on the bank of Lake Mead. I'm sorry; I don't think I ever caught your name, pally."

The mercenary smiled faintly. "That's because I haven't given it to you. My name is Jacob. I came from New Reno."

"No wonder you stand out," Benny chuckled. "I'm Benny. I'm the leader of the Chairmen on the Strip."

"Must be the life. Maybe one day I will make my way onto the Strip," Jacob sighed.

"What brought you to New Vegas?"

"I'm looking for someone. Her name is Chloe. We have a past together. Last I heard she was a courier from Primm. Ironically, I was going to take the same courier job she was going to, but when I saw her name I bailed out. She needed it more than me, after all. I know this is a long shot, but have you happened to see her? She's in her early twenties, slender, very pretty, brunette hair and green eyes? She might have a pit bull with her."

Benny swallowed, faking a small smile. "Nope, sure haven't. Good luck. She sounds like a gorgeous pussycat."

"Yeah, she is. I was stupid to let her go. She lost her father to some Legion soldiers…and I guess I acted a little uncaring about it."

"You never know what you got 'til it's gone," Benny stated.

"That's true. Well, good luck, Benny. See ya around."

"Good luck finding your girl."

Benny headed off, now feeling more tense than he had before. He knew the woman he had shot in Goodsprings was the woman he was looking for. There was no reason for Benny to spill the beans. It wasn't because he was worried that Jacob would attack him, because Benny knew he would be able to handle the mercenary. Still, there was something just not right about Jacob. It was as though he was hiding some dark, sinister secret. Benny wasn't a saint. Because of that, he knew when he smelled a rat.

****************************************************************************************************************

Chloe groaned, blinking her eyes as she finally came to. Her head was pulsing with pain, and she saw that her eyesight was blurry even as she rapidly blinked them.

"Oh, good! You're awake! How do you feel?"

"Like crap," she groaned. She didn't recognize the voice. She looked over and nearly jumped out of the bed she was laying on.

"Haha, I'm not that scary," the ghoul chuckled.

"S-sorry, I'm just-"

"Confused? Surprised? Yeah, I know. I was too when I wound up here," the ghoul sighed. He was wearing a green mechanic outfit. His accent was strangely distinct, and he sounded a little different from most ghouls, like his voice wasn't as rough.

"So, what's your name?" Chloe asked, rubbing the whelp on the back of her head.

"Raul. You?"

"Chloe. I might have brain damage now."

"Yeah, I saw that you already have a bandage on your head."

"Some jerk shot me in the face," Chloe grumbled, checking her fingers for blood.

"Oh, wow. You are just having a whole bunch of bad luck, aren't you?" the ghoul chuckled.

Chloe looked around. Boone, Cass, and Veronica were still out. They were all cramped together in this small room with a single locked door. Chloe saw a broken down ED-E on Raul's desk. The ghoul followed her gaze.

"Oh don't worry. I fixed him; he is just on standby mode right now. The Nightkin want him for scrap metal. Guess they don't know what they have here."

"Guess I better start plotting an escape plan," Chloe sighed.

"Without any weapons? Up against Super Mutants and Nightkin? Are you crazy?" Raul asked. "Maybe you do have brain damage."

The others started coming around. Cass groaned, sitting up slowly and cussing under her breath. Boone grimaced but was awake soon. Veronica mumbled something and slowly came around. Chloe looked to the old ghoul.

"So what's your story?"

"Like an old idiot, I followed the Black Mountain radio signal because I couldn't help myself. I wanted to fix it up correctly, and then these crazy weirdoes captured me and have kept me captive since. It's Tabitha! She's behind this Black Mountain Radio! She wants to gather all the Super Mutants and Nightkin in the Mojave to take over New Vegas!"

"That's not good at all. How long has that been?"

"Uhh, three weeks I think," Raul grumbled. "When you get to be my age, it doesn't really matter I guess."

"I really want to punch something right now," Cass growled.

"I was so not expecting this," Veronica sighed, taking off her hood to rub at her head.

"A good escape option sounds good to me right about now. Who has any ideas?" Boone asked, walking around to check the small, square room out.

"I'm starting to think you are bad luck," Cass sighed, glancing down at Chloe.

"Me? Why?"

"Let's see, a guy shoots you in the face, you had to deal with criminals in Primm, we were almost killed by the Legion in Nipton, we get attacked by Deathclaws, Super Mutants, and Nightkin all at once…yeah…what could happen next?"

Chloe got to her feet, brushing herself off. "Probably more by the time I find Benny."

Veronica perked up. "You know Benny?"

"Yeah, he's the guy who shot me in the face," Chloe grumbled, pointing to her bandage.

"Oh…"

"Why? You know him?" Cass asked.

"Well, kinda. I saw him stop by the 188 Trading Post while he was on his way to New Vegas this morning. He gave me this," Veronica answered. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a business card.

Chloe took it and read it over. It was a business card for the Tops Hotel and Casino on the Strip. On the back was a small note that he had written for a free round.

"He was really nice! And classy! I didn't know he shot you in the head, though, that kinda sucks," Veronica stated, taking the card back.

"Focus, people. Let's work on a break out plan," Boone grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, good luck," Raul snorted.

"Uh, you're going to help us," Chloe said, smiling as she walked over to ED-E to get the Eyebot out of standby mode. The robot instantly awoke, and rose to the air to float around, beeping in an annoyed fashion.

"Me? Hey, wait a minute, you aren't the boss of me! I don't want to get killed, thank you very much!" the ghoul exclaimed.

Chloe went over to the door. She bent down to examine the lock. It was electronically locked. There was no way she could pick it. She thought for a moment, and then pointed at ED-E.

"ED-E! Shoot the door down with your laser!"

"What? They are gonna hear that!" Cass barked.

"Have any better ideas?" Chloe asked, looking between them.

No one answered, and then Boone sighed. "So what should we do once the door is blown up?"

"I guess I will distract them with ED-E. You guys can find our weapons and supplies and hopefully make it back to me before I'm Swish cheese."

"Are you kidding? You can't just waltz out there and dance in front of them by yourself! You'll be killed!" Raul said.

Chloe thought for a moment. "I don't have many options. I couldn't live with myself if any of you guys got hurt or killed because of me."

The door beside her was just unlocked. Chloe jumped away, ordering the Eyebot to back down as well. They all prepared for mayhem to come through that door.

"Okay, when it is open, ED-E is going to fire and we have to take any weapons that are on him!" Chloe ordered.

The door eased open, and a dark-skinned Super Mutant entered. They all got ready to spring, but the Super Mutant quickly put his finger to his mouth and hushed them.

"Quiet or Tabitha will hear!" he hissed.

"Huh?" Chloe grunted. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The Super Mutant gave her a look. "My name is Neil. I usually guard at the base of the mountain, but I had to come up here to give Tabitha some news. I heard from the others that you all were in here."

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Cass grumbled, crossing her arms.

Neil kept his body in the threshold of the door, but reached out into the room behind him. He tossed a few bags into the room, all holding their weapons and supplies. "Tabitha needs to be stopped. She is one of the many reasons why humans think we Super Mutants are nothing but big, dumb, ferocious creatures."

"You don't seem big, dumb, and ferocious to me," Chloe stated.

Neil chuckled, but the smile soon faded. "Never mind that. Look…when you exit this building, go directly behind it. You will see some dumpsters near the back by a tall mesh fence. It's broken in an area where you guys can slip through. The trail will lead you straight down the mountain back onto Highway 95."

"Why are you doing this for us?" Veronica inquired.

"I know the difference between right and wrong, thank you."

"What about you?" Chloe asked, growing slightly worried. "What if Tabitha finds out?"

"Yeah, Neil? What if she finds out?" came a hoarse feminine voice.

Neil spun, backing into their tiny room as a large female Nightkin came in with others behind her. The sight of Tabitha was definitely an odd one. If the situation wasn't so dire, they probably all would be laughing. The Nightkin was wearing a large straw hat, along with a fake blonde wig. A green pair of star shaped sunglasses covered her bulging eyes.

"ED-E!" Chloe yelled.

The Eyebot trilled at her, firing multiple lasers at Tabitha. Neil ran full force into her and the other Nightkin, pushing them back. He called for them to get out, and so they did. Outside, the bullets were flying. Chloe was trying to keep an eye out for her friends. Neil was trying to persuade his brethren to stop all this violent nonsense, but they only seemed to follow Tabitha's orders.

Chloe's leg was grabbed while she was running. Her face slammed home into the ground, and then she was being dragged. Tabitha had a hold of her, and picked her completely off of the ground, dangling her like a small insect.

"Girl must die!" she roared.

Chloe thought fast, aiming her pistol and firing multiple shots into Tabitha's face until the Nightkin collapsed. Chloe barely got out of the way before the large mutant could land on her in the fall. The few remaining Nightkin and Super Mutants stopped fighting, looking over Tabitha.

Boone and Cass pulled Chloe to her feet as Neil rushed over to his fellow mutants. "You know she was wrong! This is why I kept trying to tell all of you that we should go to Jacobstown! Marcus has a sanctuary set up for us there!"

The mutants stood and thought about it, and then slowly nodded at him. "Okay. Let's go."

"Sorry, little girl."

Chloe glared. "I'm not little!"

Neil heaved a relieved sigh, turning to face Chloe and her followers. "To them you are. I guess we are leaving Black Mountain now. It is a good feeling to know that we are going some place better. This would never have been possible for us with Tabitha's reign of terror."

"Thanks, Neil," Chloe said.

"Thank you. I hope your travels are safe…well…safer." He chuckled softly at this, and then turned to herd his brethren onward down the mountain.

The four humans, ghoul, and Eyebot headed down the trail back towards Highway 95 after getting their supplies together and looting the Black Mountain buildings of anything useful. They were mostly quiet on their walk down the trail. They were relieved to see the highway up ahead. They all stopped upon reaching the asphalt.

"Well, Raul. It was good meeting you. Enjoy your freedom," Chloe chuckled, extending her hand.

The ghoul shook it. "No problemo', boss!"

"And what about you Veronica?"

Veronica seemed surprised. "I was hoping I could tag along. I live in a hole in the ground, and you having exciting adventures that I never get to have."

"Exciting?" Cass snorted. "More like death defying."

"A hole in a ground?" Chloe echoed, confused.

"A bunker, really. My…family lives down there. I am one of the only few that come out for supplies, but they can take care of themselves. Besides…I have the feeling they don't want me around much anymore anyways."

"Do ya guys mind if she comes along?" Chloe inquired, looking between Boone and Cass.

Boone shrugged. "She may prove useful."

"Useful?" Cass snorted. "The way poor Chloe's luck is right now, she needs a whole damn army."

Chloe glared at her friend. "Thanks, Cass."

"Yay! Thanks. You won't be disappointed!" Veronica exclaimed.

"Uh, boss?" Raul asked, scratching his decaying scalp.

"Why are you calling me that?" Chloe sighed.

"Because you called the shots up on the mountain pretty quickly. I'm impressed. Anyways, I was wondering if I could tag along as well. Being trapped up there on the mountain for that long has kind of made my mind wander. Could I just travel with you until I figure out where I need to go next?"

"Sure, Raul. No problem."

With everything settled, and two more companions added to their group, they set off again north along Highway 95. Chloe was still bent on getting to Boulder City, even though Veronica had told her that Benny had left for the Strip by himself this morning. The Khans could still be in the deserted little western town. She wanted answers. The Khans would have the best answers next to Benny himself.

The large group was caught easily by the NCR as they were heading into Boulder City. They were stopped by NCR Lieutenant Monroe. They could see that the soldiers had easily taken over the town, but near a broken down saloon, Chloe could see some Great Khans holed up inside and outside.

"I don't know why a large group such as yourselves is here, but you cannot go any further. We've had a long shootout with the Khans, got 'em hold up in that saloon over there. But we are staying put because they have two of our own held hostage. Private Gilbert and Private Ackerman," Monroe explained. He glanced back to the saloon, rubbing his hand along his beard nervously.

"Those Khans have answers that I need," Chloe told him.

"Well, you can't just go waltzing in there. You might get killed, and the hostages might as well."

Chloe sighed, glancing back to her companions. "Look, I will go alone. They won't shoot at me. I'm not NCR. I'm sure they want a truce as much as you do. I will talk to them."

"Uh, Chloe?" Cass asked. "You sure?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. You guys just wait here."

Monroe reluctantly let her pass. Chloe made sure to head to the saloon with slow steps and where her hands could be seen. The Great Khans watched her curiously, but also with a distinct look of worry etched on their faces.

Chloe nodded to the nearest Khan, a woman kneeling behind a burnt up vehicle with blond pigtails. She was accompanied by a slightly younger man with a buzz cut. "Where's your leader? I'm here to negotiate with him."

She could see the two hostages, a woman and a man, being guarded by a few Khans in one of the hollowed out rooms of the destroyed saloon. The Khan nearest to her pointed to the door that led to the only enclosed part of the building that was left.

"There," she said.

Chloe entered into the saloon. The place was a mess from the destruction, leaving only the front open and small by surrounding rubble. It was enclosed, and she saw two more Khans behind the counter. She recognized them as two of the three that were with Benny when they shot her.

They recognized her too. Their jaws dropped and eyebrows rose. The woman tried to speak something but it came out in grunts. The male Khan eyed her up and down.

"Damn, Jessup! It's her!"

"I know, Melissa! I know!" Jessup exclaimed. "Uhh, wow, this is awkward."

"You died! How are you fucking standing there?" Melissa snapped.

"Does it matter?" Chloe asked. "Look. I want answers. Where is Benny and where is the Platinum Chip?"

"That damn fox got away with it. He set us up! That's why we're holed up like a bunch of damn mole rats!" Jessup snapped.

Chloe was surprised. "He betrayed you?"

"Yeah," Jessup sighed, looking away and shoulders sagging. "He killed McMurphy too. I should have known those caps were too good to be true. I let it blind me…when I should have never taken it in the first place. Benny and we Khans…well…we have dark history. Should have known Benny would try and get us back. There's a reason why he was called The Fox back in the day."

"Murph was right," Melissa muttered, glancing down at her feet. Chloe followed her gaze. There was a dead dark-skinned Khan lying on an old mattress on the floor. She recognized him as the third Khan that was with them when she was shot. He was dead, and looked as though he had bled to death from a bullet wound to the chest.

"I know it probably doesn't mean much now, but I'm sorry. It was wrong of us to help Benny try and kill you," Jessup stated.

"It's fine. Did Benny head back to the Strip?"

"Oh yeah, I'm sure he is kicked back having some drinks by now," Melissa growled, making a fist.

"Here," Jessup sighed, pulling something out of his pocket. It was a silver Zippo lighter with an engraved insignia on it. He plopped it into her hand, and Chloe looked it over. She recognized it as Benny's. He had been playing with the lid before he shot her in the head. "It's Benny's. Drop it when he shot McMurphy. Do me a favor and shove it up his ass when you meet up with him."

Chloe twitched a smile, pocketing it. "I'll keep that in mind. Look, about the NCR hostages…"

"Yeah?" Jessup growled.

"I know you want a truce. I know that all of you just want to leave in peace. You've been through a lot…I can tell. If you let those two soldiers go, I will give you my word that I will have the NCR let you go."

"Are you kidding?" Melissa snipped. "They'll shoot us on sight!"

"I told Lieutenant Monroe that I would talk a treaty with you. Let the hostages go, and you guys can walk."

"Why would you do that for us? After what we did to you?" Jessup asked, surprised.

Chloe thought for a moment, pursing her lips. "I guess because it is the right thing to do."

"What are you going to do when you face Benny?" Jessup asked.

"I…don't know. I keep telling myself that I am going to get revenge…but I just won't know until I get there."

"Yeah, well…don't fall for that silver-tongue of his. He will probably sweet talk you into forgetting about everything and then when you least expect it, he will stab you in the back," Melissa warned. "Everything that comes out of his mouth is a fuckin' lie."

"I'll try to remember that, thanks."

Jessup heaved a sigh, putting his palms over his eyes and taking a moment to think. "Alright…I will tell Rachelle and Carlos to let the NCR soldiers go. Anything to be able to get home without extra holes in us."

"Jessup, what about McMurphy?"

"We're just gonna have to leave him, Melissa. I know you want to bury him like we did for Chance, but we just don't have the time…especially with NCR running the place."

The female Khan slowly nodded, kneeling just a moment beside McMurphy's body to take the beaded necklace that was around his neck. There was a claw in the middle of the necklace. Chloe recognized it as a Yao Guai claw. Melissa slipped it around her slender neck and then nodded towards Jessup. The three of them left outside, where Jessup proceeded to tell Rachelle and Carlos to let the hostages go.

"Alright, just wait here for a moment," Chloe told the Khans.

She led the two NCR soldiers away from the saloon, meeting up with a surprised Lieutenant Monroe and group of companions. The privates were immediately escorted off towards medical treatment.

"They didn't want any of this," Chloe explained, looking to Monroe. "Let them walk. The man I am after set them up with you guys."

"You must be talking about Benny," Monroe sighed, shaking his head.

"Please tell me you have something on him."

"Well, I don't know much, but he is the head of the Chairmen. The Chairmen are one of the Three Families that rule New Vegas under Mr. House. The NCR has a temporary treaty with House, and so we have an embassy office located on the far north side of the Strip. Pretty much, we just tolerate each other. I'm hoping that once we win the upcoming battle for Hoover Dam again…if we do…that we can soon have New Vegas annexed. To me, Mr. House is just a tyrant with his police robots…even though no one has ever seen him. And the Three Families…well, they are just rehabilitated tribals."

"That much I know already," sighed Chloe, frowning.

Monroe grabbed the nearby speakerphone. He called out for his men to back down and let the Khans go. They watched as the confused soldiers left their positions and backtracked towards them.

The Lieutenant turned back towards Chloe and her group. "I appreciate the help, ma'am." He tipped his army cap off to her.

Chloe and her group of companions started heading out of Boulder City together. Cass had plenty to say on what she thought of the previous actions.

"I don't know how you did it. If it had been me, and those Khans helped put a bullet through my head, I'd still be beating the shit out of them in that saloon."

Chloe shrugged. "It seems as though karma has already paid them back. Benny set them up, that's why the NCR had them holed up in the saloon. Lost a few and didn't get paid. I figured that was enough for them."

"This Benny guy sounds like quite the charmer," Boone snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Don't worry, boss. I think you handled it well. The more peaceful, the better," Raul stated.

"Why'd he shoot you in the head anyways?" Veronica asked, raising an eyebrow.

"To steal the chip I was delivering."

"Chip? As in poker chip?"

"Yeah, an oversized one made of platinum. Looks utterly worthless, but boy was I wrong about that apparently."

They bumped into the small group of Great Khans as they were putting Boulder City and the nearby mill behind them. Jessup walked over to her, twitching a weak smile. He gave a quick glance to each of her comrades before focusing on her.

"Hey, thanks again for what you did for us back there. I won't forget it. I will be sure to tell the whole tribe about you and what you did for us. If you ever happen to stop by Red Rock Canyon, look me up and say hello."

"You're welcome. I hope this means that you won't be knocking me out, or burying me in a shallow grave, or shooting me anymore."

Jessup gave a crooked grin to match Chloe's. "Wow, we really got off on a bad start. But I blame that on Benny. Good luck, Chloe."

Chloe dipped her head at the Great Khan. "Thanks."

She and her group stopped to let the Khans ahead. They started heading east along the nearby railroad tracks. Chloe and her group were taking the broken road back onto Highway 95 to get on track.

"Hey, your creepy robot friend from Novac is pulling up," Cass grumbled lowly.

Surprised, Chloe looked to see Victor rolling up. The large Securitron was waving one of his pincher arms excitedly in greeting. The cartoon cowboy head on his projection screen seemed even happier now.

"Well howdy again, friend!"

"Victor! What are you doing here?"

"Still on my way to New Vegas, pardner! What was the deal with all them there Khans?"

"Three of those Khans helped Benny shoot me."

"Who?" the Securitron inquired, but then grunted. "Oh yeah! You mean fancy-pants?"

"Yeah, he should be in the Strip by now."

"Well, that's good to hear, friend! He definitely won't be expecting you! Well, I better be on my way! Hope to see ya soon, Chloe. Although, let's try to not keep bumping into each other like this? It's mighty embarrassing. People are gonna start to talk," Victor chuckled.

The Securitron headed out on his own. Chloe saw the confused looks from her group. They kept to Highway 95, knowing that Freeside wasn't too far off now. Chloe explained to them about what she knew of Victor ever since from Goodsprings.

"I think that robot just sent my creepy factor through the roof. He was creepier than Boone and Mr. Eyebot over here," Cass sighed. ED-E beeped at her in an annoyed tone.

"What makes me creepy?" Boone asked, tone almost dangerous. He then shook his head, looking even grumpier than before. "Never mind. I don't even want to know if it is coming from your lips. Anyways, that Securitron has to belong to Mr. House. They are everywhere on the Strip and act as House's police force. Though usually their screen depicts cartoon police officer heads instead of cowboy heads."

"They have to be connected then," Veronica informed.

"It seems to me that it would be unlikely for this Mr. House to be the real Robert House who founded RobCo back before the Great War. I mean that was 204 years ago, and he definitely doesn't sound like a ghoul," Raul murmured.

Chloe snapped her head around to gawk at the ghoul. "You're a pre-war ghoul?"

"Yeah, sure, boss. I thought I told you that?"

"You've only been traveling with us for a few hours," Cass sighed.

"Have I? I'm growing senile I think," Raul sighed, then shook his head. "Anyways, I come from Mexico City…hence my accent. Robert House pretty much owned Las Vegas back in the day, was one of the most brilliant minds of the century they called him. He founded RobCo at the young age of 22, ya know. He defended the city with his own missiles that took out any of the atomic bombs aimed for Las Vegas during the Great War."

"It couldn't possibly be the same House," Cass snorted incredulously.

"If he isn't a ghoul, that is," Raul added.

"Maybe he's a computer. Like he uploaded his memories and personality onto some kind of matrix to forever run the city with the Securitrons even in death," Chloe proposed.

"Are you crazy? That sounds absurd!" Cass exclaimed.

"What? I've seen it before. A few years ago I was helping my dad do a job outside of New Reno. We found this old Vault where the people we were hunting had taken refuge. Well, after we took out our targets, we decided to explore the rest of the Vault and make sure there wasn't anything useful. We broke into the Overseer's Office, and there he was! The Overseer had uploaded his brain into the whole circuit! Even though he had been dead for many, many years, we were talking to him as if he was right there on screen! One of the creepiest things I have ever seen in my life!"

"You sure you both weren't high on Buffout?" Cass snorted.

Chloe rolled her eyes, though she twitched a smile. "No, perfectly clean."

The thought disturbed her the more she thought about it. What was Mr. House? It didn't seem important before, but now that they were nearing Freeside to enter the Strip, it suddenly felt very essential. She shook out of the thoughts as quickly as she had slipped into them.

_I need to focus on getting onto the Strip and dealing with Benny first._


	6. Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog

### Chapter 5: Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog

It felt good to be back on the Strip. Though it was daylight, the streets were still crawling with NCR troopers, travelers, and gamblers, looking for a good time. The Securitrons were posted in certain areas keeping a watchful patrol going at all times.

Benny glared up at the towering Lucky 38 as he headed for the Tops. The impregnable fortress housing the de facto ruler of New Vegas, Mr. House, seemed to loom over the entire Strip. Across the street, hookers from Gomorrah danced to attract customers. That wasn't it. Benny caught the eyes of the Omerta brothers. Nero, the head of the family, glared icily across the road at him. He, along with his brothers, Big Sal and Cachino, were all dressed up like 40s styled mobsters. The Omertas and their fellow goons were the smallest of the Three Families, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. Before House came along, the Omertas and their goons made up a tribe known as the Slither Kin. They always had a bad habit of shooting first, asking questions later, and were known to trick people into their camps and kill them or make them slaves.

Though the broads were nice to look at, Benny wouldn't be caught dead with any of them. He didn't want to catch any kind of disease. Gomorrah was the cheapest, dirtiest place on the Strip. The same notion applied with their hookers. The Omertas were a filthy pack of rats, and even now as Benny waved with a sly grin to the glaring Nero, he wondered how they could all just barely tolerate each other. Before Mr. House came along, their tribes would have just killed each other.

Benny wasn't surprised by the greeting he received when he entered into his joint. Many of the Chairmen came over to welcome him back. Benny was surprised to see Swank missing from his usual spot behind the front counter.

"Heya, chief! Good to see ya! What's the haps?"

"There's the Ben-man! How was the trip?"

Benny mingled with his fellow tribe mates for a few minutes, getting a briefing on how business was going. Even in the day time, the Tops was packed with gamblers and partiers. The hotel and casino was the second largest building on the Strip, next only to the Ultra-Luxe.

On his way to the elevators that would take him up to the thirteenth floor where his suite awaited him, Benny was stopped by one of his appointed floor managers, Dean. He was one of the few older men who had stepped down from being nomadic. Most of the Chairmen were made up of the younger generation men from the Boot Riders. A third of the tribe, mostly the older men, women, and some of the younger women and children had left when Benny took over, preferring to stay nomadic. Last Benny heard, they were wiped out by the Legion.

Dean wore the matching suit that most of the Chairmen wore. He had thinning light brown hair, a mustache, and green eyes. "Benny! It's good to see ya back! That was a long trip! You were gone for a week!"

"Yes, it was. I'm ready for a drink. Say, Dean, when you see that 'ol brother of mine, send him up to my pad, dig?"

"Sure, Boss, sure! Oh, and Tommy told me to tell ya that he wanted to talk as soon as you were back. He said something about trying to find new acts for the Aces Theater."

"Tommy sure does like to cry in the rain," Benny sighed, waving Dean off. "I'll talk to him later."

Benny was able to get to the thirteenth floor after that. He entered into his suite, leaving one of the double doors open. It was just as he left it. The large bar and kitchen on the right side of the living room awaited him with his drinks. His living room had a few couches and chairs around a table. There was a fireplace on the far left wall. The bathroom and his room were side by side on the far wall across from the entrance.

Benny went to the bar, pouring him a glass of brandy. He sat down on one of the nearby bar stools, sitting the glass down next to the ashtray. He forgot to borrow a lighter from one of the guys, but he could do that later. He just wanted to relax for a moment and gather his thoughts.

He heard a light tap on the open door. Benny didn't even look up from his glass to know that it was Swank. Swank was older by five years, handsome, strong featured and very charismatic. Benny put those attributes to good use. Swank was his right hand man, but he was also his older half-brother. He looked the same as Benny had left him, slicked back black hair, dark eyes and clean. Only now Swank was wearing a gray suit instead of a black suit.

"Well, look what the cat drug in," greeted Swank, making himself at home. He poured himself a glass of brandy and joined Benny at the bar table.

"Did I miss anything exciting?" Benny asked, grinning.

"Nothing that could be as exciting as you being out there on the road," Swank replied. "I still can't believe you hired Great Khans to follow you around. Thought you had more pride than that, hey?"

"Only so I could con them into doing some dirty work and then hole 'em up like mole rats."

Swank shook his head. "Just can't let it go can ya? Those poor saps. You really are a lot like Cash whether you like it or not. Well, I wish you would tell us what this trip was all about."

Benny held up a finger, smiling. "Don't be so impatient, bro! Trust me, will ya?"

"Frankly, you're kinda worrying me," Swank stated, taking a drink of his brandy.

"Why ya worrying so much? Who's chief? Me or you?"

"You are."

"Alright, then stop your worrying, and let's give a toast."

"To what?" Swank asked, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

Benny held up his glass, thinking for a moment. "Let's just say…To a better future for the tribe."

Swank raised an eyebrow. Slowly, he dinged his glass to Benny's, and the men drank on it. Swank couldn't understand how things could get better than what they had now. House had given them everything, and they had all settled well into their new life. All the Chairmen were grateful to House, so what could be better than that?

"Jeez, Swank, you look beat."

"That's from me doing your job and my job for a whole week, ya dig? Hate to see what you would do without me," Swank chuckled.

"Probably roll over dead," Benny sighed.

"You know it!" Swank said, slapping Benny lightly on the shoulder. "Well, I better get back down there to the front counter. It's almost time for rush hour."

"Yeah, I'll be down a bit later. I'm gonna clean up," Benny told him, downing the rest of his brandy.

Swank nodded, getting up and leaving Benny's suite. Benny watched his brother go, thinking for a moment. Swank was the only blood relative that Benny had left. They shared the same mother, Cynthia, who was killed after Bingo took over. Cynthia didn't like how Bingo was able to kill Cash for leadership. Bingo killed her too. Benny's father, Cash, had taken over from Swank's father, Sinatra. Swank was four when he watched it go down. And though Cynthia was devastated over her loss of Sinatra, it didn't take her long to fall for Cash either. Swank had hated Cash for awhile, but after Benny was born and Cash had become a great leader for the tribe, he let the bitterness go and learned it was just the way of the tribe. Cash had been one of the most well known men in the Mojave Wasteland. He was not only a hardened fighter, but a con artist and manipulator. He had even tricked a large group of NCR soldiers to their deaths when they had started arriving near New Vegas. He had become known as the Coyote of the West since then.

As for his death, Benny had to let it go. He killed Bingo to take over as chief just as Bingo did over Cash, or Cash over Sinatra. But killing his mother had been a different story, one that affected him and Swank both. Benny was still young when Bingo took over. He had been sixteen. After sixteen long years of Cash being tribe leader, it was hard to see another take his place. But when Bingo killed Cynthia out of her loyalty to Cash, it changed the tribe forever. Benny vowed he would kill Bingo one day, and it wasn't just to become chief, it was to get back at him for going against tribe order and killing Cynthia the way he did.

That was why when Benny did kill Bingo to gain chief; he made sure he let Bingo bleed out slowly with that knife in his throat. That was seven years ago. Benny had been only twenty when he took over. The third of the tribe that left that didn't want to settle into House's offers and stay nomadic also had a problem with Benny's age at the time. They thought he was too young to be a deserving tribe leader. But they forgot that he was the son of the Coyote of the West.

_And now they are all dead and don't get to enjoy the high life…_

Benny walked into his bedroom, tossing off his jacket and tearing at his tie. It was their fault that they were dead. It was really just a big shame. Benny took out the Platinum Chip, grinning down at its lustrous side that held the Lucky 38 insignia upon it. Now it was Benny's time to use the chip to overthrow House for good. It wasn't as though Benny didn't appreciate House for what he did for him and his tribe. It was just strictly…business. Benny felt that if the Chairmen ran the Strip, things would run much smoother around here.

_Now to take a little time to go talk to Yes Man…_

************************************************************************************************************************************

Freeside was large and slummy. Chloe could tell that many, if not, most of the residents lived on the streets. The few NCR troops that were here had small stations set up in certain parts of town, but were only giving food to those willing to pay, and only if they were registered NCR citizens. When they first entered the city, they were offered paid help by bodyguards. Seeing as how Chloe had an Eyebot, a gunslinger ghoul, an NCR 1st Recon Sharpshooter, a Brotherhood Scribe, and a bad mouthed, tough as nails, caravan driver, she figured she didn't need any help.

She could tell that crime was high here. It saddened her to see some kids tearing apart a large rat they had caught to eat. Yet, the NCR refused to do anything about these poor conditions. Chloe knew well they had plenty of food. Even Boone and Cass were agitated at the thought to see their own country neglecting their duties.

"So why didn't you tell us you were a Brotherhood Scribe at first?" Cass asked Veronica.

"Because of him," Veronica sighed, pointing at Boone.

Boone rolled his eyes. "Like I could care less."

"Well, how would I know that? I mean, the Brotherhood of Steel and the NCR have been enemies for many years."

"Hey boss, if you are looking for the entrance to the Strip, it's through these doors down the next district," Raul sighed, pointing to the mess that barricaded the road. The barricade was made to separate the two districts in the city. The doors used to get through to the other side were actually part of an old, blown up bus. They would have to slip through the doors of the bus and onto the other side to get into the next district.

"Thanks, I'm just…mad," Chloe grumbled. "Look at this? Children eating out of dumpsters and eating on mutated rats. Yet you have to be an "NCR citizen" to get any food? That's a load of shit!"

"Tell me about it," Cass growled, folding her arms. "And they wonder why New Vegas hates their presence here."

"It's wrong. It should be their duty to protect and take care of these people, not let them rot…oh…no offense Raul," Veronica stated.

"None taken," the ghoul mumbled.

"Well, payback's a bitch. I'm sure the residents along with the Kings will rally up and do something about it soon," Boone stated nonchalantly, examining the bus.

"The Kings?" Chloe echoed, curious.

"You see all those young guys with slick back hair all wearing typically the same clothes?" Cass asked.

"Yeah?"

"Those are the Kings."

"Why are they called the Kings?" Chloe asked.

"They named themselves after a singer way back in the Pre-War era…even before my time," Raul explained. "Everyone loved the guy. His name was Elvis Presley, but he was known as the King of Rock, or simply the King. He was a legend a few hundred years ago. Apparently, these guys took over the King's School of Impersonation that was open for business back in Pre-War days when it was still called Las Vegas. Anyways, they dress and talk like the guy now. And their leader…who just calls himself the King, lives in the building."

"I think I remember reading something about that Elvis guy in a Pre-War book," Chloe laughed. "That's strange."

"Well, the King pretty much runs the place with his gang," Cass sighed. "I guess the only good thing about that is at least they actually do a good job at it. The King I hear is a pretty good leader, and very charismatic."

"Speaking of which, looks like we got some trouble down the road," Boone stated sharply.

They could see it from where they were at. Down the road a group of Kings and a group of NCR soldiers looked to be in a heated debate, and it looked as though the guns were about to come out and play.

"Looks like they are arguing over the water pump," Veronica informed.

"I hear that's the only place here in the city that has fresh water," Raul added.

"Chloe, don't even-" Cass was cut off as Chloe took off towards the feud. The older woman shook her head, grumbling. "Why do I even bother?"

"Is Trouble her middle name?" Veronica asked, taking off after her.

The group followed after the courier. ED-E beeped excitedly, catching up with its owner quickly.

"Wait! Boss! It's isn't our business!" Raul called.

"She isn't going to listen!" Boone hollered.

Then they saw it. Chloe was going in for some children who were caught in the middle. The two arguing factions failed to take notice of the young boy and girl hunkered between their lines of fire. She ran right in, even as an NCR officer aimed and started the shooting frenzy that broke out. Chloe tackled the two kids to the ground as multiple shots fired out and bullets whizzed right above their heads.

"ED-E! Shoot the guns out of their hands!" Chloe ordered.

The Eyebot beeped in response, using its laser to quickly shoot multiple shots to knock the guns out of both factions' hands. By this time, Boone and the others showed up with their weapons ready to go. With their guns fried by the Eyebot's laser that had also burned their hands, the NCR soldiers and few Kings raised their arms.

Chloe crawled to her feet with the children disheveled but okay. She told them to get going, and after a small, squeaky thank you, they took off down the road. Chloe looked angry now, glaring between the NCR soldiers and Kings.

"What the hell is wrong with all of you? Did you guys not notice those kids? They could've been killed!"

"Who the fuck are you, lady?" an NCR soldier growled. "Can't you see this is none of your business?"

"Oh, shut up you damn squatter," one of the Kings hissed. "She saved your ass, didn't she?"

"No, I saved those kids' lives!" Chloe yelled, shooting the King member a glare. The young King gulped and backed down. Chloe glared back at the NCR soldiers. "I see what you guys do here in Freeside. You guys have every right to be hated by New Vegas. You are not the glorious NCR I hear of back in California. Lucky for you, my father and I know some higher-ups within the Republic. Just wait whenever I inform them about what is going on here in Freeside."

"Huh? Are you crazy, lady?" a soldier asked, worried.

"She's bluffing!" snapped the soldier that started the shoot out.

"Do you want to try me?" Chloe growled.

"I think you guys better leave," Boone warned. "The Kings have more of a right to be control of the water than you. At least they sell it to everybody."

The NCR soldiers hesitated, then reluctantly gathered up their ruined weapons and headed down the street together. Chloe and her group watched them go, along with the nearby Kings.

"Hey, thanks lady," one of the Kings stated.

"Whatever," sighed Chloe, shoulders drooping. "Just make sure no more kids are stuck in the middle if you decide to have any shootouts."

Chloe started walking back the way they came. Boone and the others followed her as they made their way back to the bus to slip through into next district. Veronica jogged up to walk beside Chloe, her grin small but gracious.

"That was some quick acting, Chloe!"

"Thanks. I guess I'm just used to it from mercenary work with Dad," she sighed.

"Well, you don't seem like much, but you sure did handle both the NCR and the Kings well," Boone stated, chuckling softly. It was the first they really heard him laugh.

Chloe twitched a smile. "Thanks, Boone."

"I personally felt like punching out all of those bastards," Cass grumbled.

"When do you not feel like punching something?" Chloe laughed.

"I'm just glad we all got out of there in one piece. It's not everyday the Kings and NCR just drop their feuds like that. You did a good job, boss."

Before Chloe could thank Raul, ED-E beeped angrily at her. Coming out from behind a nearby building were a few Freeside residents carrying blunt weapons. Chloe pulled out her handgun, but didn't want to fire on just any residents. But as they came closer, she realized they were coming after them. They were thugs. Boone was quick to aim his rifle; blowing one man's head clean off. ED-E, Raul, Cass, and Veronica also fired their weapons just as Chloe fired hers.

Someone slammed into her from behind, and Chloe realized a few more thugs had jumped them. She turned to face her attacker, receiving a sharp blow to her head, directly on her bandaged bullet wound. Yelping, Chloe dropped, the pain immediately making her dizzy and her ears ring. She couldn't hear anything for a long moment, and when her vision cleared, so did her hearing. She was stumbling while Boone and Cass helped her towards the Mormon Fort in Freeside.

"Chloe! Answer me!" Cass yelled.

"I'm fine!"

"Well, that blow to your head must have torn open one of your stitches! You're bleeding all over your face!" Boone informed.

"Yeah, it hurts like a motherfucker!" Chloe griped. "Where are you guys taking me?"

"The Followers of the Apocalypse are located in the Mormon Fort here in Freeside. They can clean you up," Boone explained.

Once inside the Fort, they were immediately greeted by a woman with a mohawk. She was wearing a doctor's coat and seemed worried. It seemed most of the Followers wore the same doctor's coat and slacks that were running the Fort. There were many residents from Freeside in here getting treatment.

"What happened?" the female Follower asked, looking her over.

"Well, she already had a wound there. Another blow to the head probably reopened it," Cass explained.

Chloe was made to sit down in one of the tents. The female Follower poked her head outside and yelled out at someone. "Arcade! Get a medical kit! I'm gonna need you to take over for me! I still have to finish stitching up one of the Kings!" She came back inside as Chloe and her group settled. She smiled faintly down at Chloe. "I'm gonna let Arcade take care of you. He's one of the best. Just wait here, alright?"

"Thanks…uhhh. What's your name?"

"Julie. Julie Farkas. If you ever need anything else, you just ask."

Julie slipped out of the tent. Chloe groaned, pulling off the bandage that was on her head. It was soaked with blood now. She turned to Veronica, turning her head to show the wound to the Brotherhood Scribe.

"How's it look?"

Veronica looked sick. "Very gross. And it's still bleeding."

"Boss, you're bleeding like a blown up mole rat!" Raul exclaimed.

A man slipped into the tent. Chloe looked up to him. He was young, maybe in his early thirties with short blonde hair and green eyes. He wore glasses and the same doctor's coat and slacks as the other Followers. A plasma pistol was holstered on his belt and he held a medical kit in his hand.

"Oh boy, this isn't pretty," he sighed, immediately moving to work on her.

The Follower Arcade opened the medical kit and got to work while the others waited. Chloe hissed in pain as he worked to clean the wound and seal it up again. Arcade seemed interested in the wound as he was stitching up the new tear.

"Ya know, this looks too much like a bullet wound but it surely cannot be that. I mean-"

"It is," Chloe corrected him. "I got shot by a guy a few days ago. Doc Mitchell in Goodsprings fixed me up. Told me to keep the bandage on for a week."

"Wow, you are quite lucky then," Arcade chuckled. "You got some dark bruising around the wound, but that is quite normal. Now the rest is looking good, but this new tear will take a little longer to heal than the rest. You must have a thick skull if you can withstand a bat and a bullet."

"It was a damn bat?" Chloe spat, glaring at her friends.

"I thought I told her that?" Cass mumbled.

"No, you forgot to mention it," sighed Boone.

"Oops."

"Don't worry, your face is fine!" Arcade quickly added. "Now, have you been having any side effects from the bullet wound to your skull?"

"Just some minor episodes. Nothing serious," Chloe mumbled.

"Like what?" Arcade asked, cocking his head slightly.

"Well, mainly headaches. Some dizziness and blurry vision. Oh and my hearing went out for a moment."

"Those all sound normal," Arcade answered, dipping his head.

Chloe was relieved, but soon Cass snorted in laughter. "Is running recklessly into battle a side effect? 'Cuz she sure fuckin' doesn't think on that sometimes."

"Hey!"

"You sound as though you have had quite an adventure," Arcade chuckled, finishing up.

"Well let's see," Cass sighed, rubbing her palms together. "We almost got killed by a Legion raiding party, we got attacked by two Deathclaws and some Super Mutants and Nightkin at the same time, we got kidnapped by Nightkin, and almost got into a shootout with some NCR and Great Khans. Then we get here and we almost get killed by a feud between the Kings and the NCR, and then some thugs attacked us and slammed a bat into her face. And this is just what happened after some asshole shot her in the face."

Arcade blinked, looking surprised.

Chloe sighed. "Thanks for summing it all up, Cass."

"No problem!"

"Well, there you go. Good as new! Now make sure you let this one set for twenty-four hours. After that, you can resume cleaning the wound once a day and re-wrapping it. I think it will be safe to say that you can still take your bandage off for good within a few more days, even with that new tear. You will still have a little bruising around the area, but that's normal and it will go away in a few days."

"Thanks, Arcade," Chloe said, taking his hand and shaking it.

"No problem. It's my job," he chuckled.

Julie popped her head into the tent just as Chloe and the others were getting up to leave. "Oh, glad to see you all fixed up."

Chloe chuckled. "Yeah, me too."

Julie looked to Arcade. "When are you leaving for Jacobstown again?"

Arcade scratched his head. "Uh, probably tomorrow before noon. Why?"

"Just want to make sure I have the supplies ready to trade with Dr. Henry. Thanks."

Julie slipped back out of the tent. Arcade turned to Chloe and the others. "I'm visiting an…old friend of mine. He was actually one of my mentors. He specializes in human and canine brains…though he always preferred to work with canines. I guess humans just talk back too much. Now he's been spending his days testing Nightkin brains, takes a special kinda person for that."

"Have a safe trip, Arcade. And thank you again for cleaning me up," Chloe stated sincerely.

"No problem. What was your name again?"

"Chloe. Chloe Maye. These are my friends here. This is Boone, Cass, Veronica, and Raul. Oh and that Eyebot is ED-E."

Arcade peered curiously at the Eyebot for a moment. There was a glint to his eye that Chloe caught quite well, but it was soon gone as the Follower scientist and doctor turned back to her with a genuine smile. "Well, I better be getting along to my next patients. Good luck to all of you."

"You too."

************************************************************************************************************************************

Chloe stared up at the massive gate that led to the Strip. She couldn't believe that she had come so close, yet she still remained so far. The Securitrons would not let them pass. Their credit check failed. They did not have enough money to enter the Strip. Chloe knew that in order to reach Benny, she would have to come up with more caps. It just wasn't fair. He was just over that gate, enjoying the high life with the Platinum Chip he stole from her, while she was stuck in the slums with hardly any caps to spare. She recognized the Lucky 38's tall, slender fortress that served as a beacon of light that could be spotted several miles from all over the Mojave Wasteland. Its lights were heavenly bright.

Since it was getting well into the evening, they had no choice but to go to the Atomic Wrangler to get them some rooms to spend the night in. On the other side of the barricade, this district was crawling with even more King members. Needless to say, there were hardly any thugs that even thought about coming out with them patrolling the area. Chloe took a good look at the large building where the King resided in. The King's School of Impersonation was just down the street from the Atomic Wrangler and the Silver Rush. Its neon lights lit up the whole street just on its own.

Chloe was pretty upset, so she let the others go in to get their rooms while she sat down outside on a bench with Cass. She came so far, yet she hit another brick wall. It would take her forever just to be able to raise enough caps to get into the Strip.

"Hey, don't fret over it. We'll figure something out," Cass assured her.

"I dragged all of you here…for nothing."

"I actually had a blast traveling with you here. If you think I am mad about it, then you're wrong."

"Thanks," Chloe said, twitching a smile. "Can't say the same for the others, I'm sure. Boone is only here to repay me for what I did for him in Novac. I'm sure he will be departing soon…along with Raul and Veronica."

"Are you kidding? This is way better than getting groceries for all those saps who don't appreciate me!" Veronica laughed as she came from the Atomic Wrangler to join them. She wasn't alone.

"I don't mind following you around, boss. At least you know what you're doing and where you're going…alright so maybe you don't sometimes, but hey, I still trust you." The ghoul grinned as wide as he could with his chapped and tattered lips.

"I guess I should admit that I am having a good time. This is much better than being stuck in Novac going nowhere," Boone sighed. He dipped his head at Chloe almost respectfully. "Thank you, Chloe."

"I should be the one thanking all of you. I wouldn't have made it here without any of you. Thanks," Chloe stated sincerely.

Cass rubbed her palms together, grinning wolfishly. "Alright, now that we have all thanked each other in a sappy gathering, can we please go get some fucking drinks?"

The group chuckled, and agreed to Cass's offer. Chloe and Cass got to their feet, but they were soon stopped when a group of Kings walked over to them. Leading them was man with slicked back black hair and a hardened face. He wore a black jacket with a black and white striped shirt underneath. They paused, tensing as the Kings seemed to gather around them.

"What do you clowns want now?" Veronica grumbled.

The leader sneered at her, and then pointed directly at Chloe. "You."

"Me?" Chloe grunted. "What did I do?"

"The King wants to see you…personally."

"And who are you exactly?" Boone growled.

"The name's Pacer. I'm his right hand man, understand?" He had a unique accent, and that's when Chloe remembered that all the Kings made themselves to talk like Elvis Presley. Most of the Kings just acted like Pre-War greasers, but Pacer seemed to have much more of that Presley twang than the others.

"Chloe, don't," Cass told her.

"Yeah, we got your back, boss."

"You don't have to listen to them!" Veronica exclaimed.

"I would hate to cause any trouble," Pacer warned. "Listen, the King don't ask just anybody to come and see him. If I were you, girly, I would take this offer graciously."

Chloe thought for a moment. She figured she really didn't have a choice. She didn't want to cause any trouble with the man who basically ruled Freeside. Still, she had a good feeling this wasn't a bad meeting, merely mutual business or curiosity. Chloe figured some of the Kings told him about her and the feud at the water pump. She turned back to her friends, twitching a smile.

"Don't worry. I won't be long. You guys just go enjoy your drinks. I'll join you shortly."

"Are you insane?" Boone snapped.

"Yes!" Cass hissed.

"ED-E, stay!" Chloe ordered.

The Eyebot's antennae dropped and it made a squeaky sound like it was sad. Sighing, Chloe had to shoo the robot back over to the others. The group reluctantly watched her go as she followed along beside Pacer and the other Kings.

As rude as Pacer was, she chose to ignore him and the uneasiness that came over her when they entered the King's School of Impersonation. The other Kings broke off to return to their duties. Pacer escorted her through the building, where Chloe received many different kinds of looks from fellow Kings. There were curious looks, suspicious looks, lustful looks, and even looks of jealousy. The pre-war music that played within the building was catchy. Soon, Chloe realized the music was also from Elvis.

Pacer brought her into a large theater, where a King was singing up on the stage in the back of the room. There were a few Kings in here, most of them hanging out together and eating and drinking. Pacer was bringing her to a man who sat alone near the stage. He had a strange looking dog with him, one that immediately caught Chloe's interest. She had always loved dogs, and this one was peculiar in his appearance.

The dog was definitely a German Shepherd. He cocked his head curiously as she came over with Pacer. Chloe didn't know whether she should have been awed or horrified by the dog. He was half-robot, almost. His most noticeable feature was his visible brain, which was kept in a special bullet-proof glass case with a light and a computer inside. It was also sitting in a pool of special blue liquid that was unknown to her. Three of his legs were all metal and robotic, and most of his back was robotic as well. The only leg that was normal was his front left leg. The dog wagged his tail and panted, looking happy like any other dog would.

"Here she is," Pacer sighed, motioning to Chloe.

Chloe broke her attention from the dog to look to the man sitting down at the table. She was not expecting the man she saw before her. The King was an extremely handsome man, looking to be in his early thirties with dark hair and eyes. He wore a fancy white coat with a black satin undershirt and black slacks and shoes. His smile was genuine, and he graciously offered her a seat across from him.

Chloe felt her knees turning to jelly. The dog howled behind the King, suddenly laying down and shaking his head dramatically. Pacer glared at her as she did not take the King's gesture to heart.

"Are you going to sit down or do I have to make you?" Pacer threatened.

"Pacer, you know better than to treat our guests like that," the King stated calmly. Chloe recognized that the King's twang was almost identical to the original King's accent.

"S-sorry, she just isn't responding," he grumbled.

"Well, here," the King said, getting to his feet. He walked around the round table. Chloe tensed as he gently wrapped an arm around her waist and scooted her over to the nearby chair. The King pulled it out for her and helped her into her seat. Chloe smiled nervously, glancing up from the King to Pacer. Pacer gave her the darkest glare she had ever seen, and soon excused himself to let the King and her be alone.

"I uhh…" she started, but realized her tongue and brain were all jumbled up.

"You are absolutely gorgeous," the King sighed, smiling.

"Huh?"

"I wanted to thank you for takin' care of those soldier boys."

Chloe immediately decided to explain herself. "No, no. It's not what you think! I was just trying to save the two kids who were caught in the middle of the feud between your Kings and the NCR soldiers!"

The King chuckled, calling one of his boys over. "Please get her a glass of wine."

The young King quickly ran off. Chloe tried to tell him that she didn't need it, but soon the young gang member was back with a glass and a bottle of wine. He poured her a glass and then poured the King a glass. He then vanished. Chloe was all very confused.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

"C-Chloe…Maye."

The German Shepherd cyber-dog howled again, and he came around from behind the King to sniff at Chloe. Chloe instinctively petted the cyber-dog, smiling as the dog seemed to enjoy it.

"Rex sure makes himself at home."

"He's very sweet…but I've never seen a dog like this."

The King twitched a smile, putting his chin on his fist to peer at her curiously. "Yeah, he's what you call a cyber-dog. They are pretty rare. He was born a normal dog back in the Pre-War days as a police dog. After the war, he was made into a cyber-dog. At the time, it was some kind of runnin' experiment to enhance dogs for battle. Well, I hear that Caesar had him for many years as his own personal dog, but then dropped him off as junk when a wire in his brain came loose and he went into some kinda sleep mode. The NCR brought him here and I got him off the Followers. I've had him for a few years now."

"Wow, that's crazy!" Chloe exclaimed, starting to slowly relax while petting Rex and listening to the King.

The King frowned. "Yeah, well, he needs a new brain, but I can't seem to find anyone who can help him. If he doesn't get a new brain soon, then Rex will die. I keep tellin' myself that maybe it is for the better. He is almost 210 years old."

"Oh, that's horrible," Chloe sighed, turning back to Rex.

"That explains his odd behavior, so please excuse him," the King chuckled as Rex suddenly started to chase his tail for no reason.

Chloe decided to turn back to the King. She took a tiny sip of her wine. The King watched his dog for a moment, and then his eyes landed right back on her. Chloe thought for a moment, and then decided she better take her chance to ask questions. "So, you pretty much run Freeside?"

"I know my boys didn't make a good impression on you today near the water pump, and I apologize for that. I do my best to keep them all in order, but sometimes they just get a little too eager protectin' Freeside. I do as much as I can, and I know it isn't enough for Freeside, but I feel good knowin' that at least with the Kings around, things are fair and crime isn't near as high."

Chloe could tell he was being sincere. "It's good to know that someone cares about Freeside."

The King frowned. "After House took over, Freeside was pretty much his leftovers. I just couldn't let it be in turmoil. It isn't much, but most of those Kings were orphans that I decided to gather."

"Where did you come from?" Chloe asked.

"I used to be with a tribe…a nomadic one. Even though I was born into it, the nomadic life just didn't suit me. When the new chief took over to make House's deal, I didn't want any part of the Strip. I knew House was gonna leave Freeside a mess, and so I left the tribe to come here on my own and fix it up."

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "So you used to be one of the Three Families?"

"Kind of," the King chuckled. "I left before they became known as that, really." Soon he frowned, and he extended his arm to touch her face softly. He lightly brushed her bandage on her head with his thumb. "You look like you've been through a lot."

Chloe lowered her eyes. The King quickly caught this. "Lots of sadness, I see. Many losses. You've had quite a journey."

She gave a half-hearted chuckled. "You're good. Yeah, it's true."

"Tell me," the King said, pouring her another glass of wine.

"Well, I came from the New Reno area. I was a mercenary along with my father. He was killed by Legions slavers. I had a boyfriend at the time, but he wanted to go east. Well, not only is Caesar's entire Legion east, but beyond it I hear is nothing but more destruction and radiation. So I told him no and I left for here. My dad always wanted to come here. I had my own dog, one I had since I was young, but he was killed just before I reached New Vegas. So then I finally land a job as a courier a couple of weeks after I arrive here, and then on my way here to the Strip, this jerk shoots me in the head outside of Goodsprings for the chip I was carrying."

"Chip? As in poker chip?" The King asked, surprised.

"Yeah, but it was made out of platinum and a little bigger," she explained. "He's the head of one of the Three Families. He's in the Strip, and I'm trying to get to him."

She soon realized what she said, and stopped there. She didn't know if Benny had been in the same tribe or not as the King, but she didn't want to get herself into trouble if the King had any remaining loyalty to his tribe.

The King seemed to think over her words, and for a moment, Chloe thought she had spoke too much. The King's lips twitched, but she couldn't read what shone in his eyes. "Let me guess…a guy in a checkered coat?"

Chloe's eyes widened, but she didn't need to answer because the King read her response. "How did you…?"

"Benny. He was in my tribe. Took over with House's offer."

"Oh wow…um, I'm sorry this is…"

The King merely smiled, hushing her. "Sweetheart, it's none of my business. Benny hasn't been family in many years. We hold no loyalty to each other anymore. Though he does stop by occasionally to talk and can catch up, it's strictly mutual."

She didn't want to believe him, because he could have easily just lied to her with those words. However, Chloe felt that the King was speaking the truth. He even gestured to her head again.

"I'm sorry that he did this to you. I thought Benny had more respect than this. Apparently, life on the Strip and acting as tribe leader has made him a bit colder."

"It's fine," Chloe sighed. "Look, I need to get going. It was nice talking to you."

She got to her feet. Rex, who was lying down, immediately perked up. He started barking madly, tail wagging and pawing at her legs. She took a moment to pet the dog. The King slowly got to his feet, coming around to her side.

"May I escort you out at least?" he asked.

Chloe nodded nervously, smiling. "Sure."

"Rex, you can come along, so long as you don't go crazy. He really needs a new brain."

A thought popped into Chloe's head. The thought turned into an idea that made her jump in joy, surprising the King when she grabbed his arm. "Oh my God! I almost forgot! I think I might know where I can get a brain!"

"You do?" the King asked.

"One of the Followers who looked after me at the Mormon Fort said something about a guy in Jacobstown that specializes in canine and human brains! Maybe he has a spare one! Oh, I need to go talk to Arcade!"

"That's swell, baby! Can we go now?"

"You mean, you're coming yourself?" Chloe grunted.

"It would be rude of me not to escort you, such a beautiful lady, especially one that might know a way to fix my dog."

Chloe slowly smiled, nodding. "Alright, let's go."

Chloe, the King, and Rex made their way outside of the School. The King members were staring on in disbelief. Even Pacer came jogging up to ask what was going on. He and a few Kings came along for protection, but it didn't take them long to get to the Mormon Fort and enter inside. Chloe looked around for Arcade Gannon. She found him talking to Julie nearby one of the tents. They were surprised to see her with the King and some of his followers.

"Uhh, may we help you?" Julie grunted.

"Chloe? What's going on?" Arcade asked.

"You said that guy in Jacobstown that you were going to go visit specialized in canine brains, right?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think he would have an actual brain for this cyber-dog here?"

Arcade peered curiously at Rex, bending to his knees to check the brain and the glass tube protecting it. The cyber-dog panted happily, tail wagging as the Follower looked all over in the brain.

"Hmm, well, it looks as though most of this dog's memories are backed up on a computer chip at the base of the brain. This should make for an easy swap with a new brain. It's been a few months since I've seen Dr. Henry, so I don't know for sure if he still has any that can be used," Arcade explained.

"Oh," Chloe mumbled.

"If you're up to the trip, you're more than welcome to come with me to Jacobstown. I'll only be staying the night. Of course, to be safe, you will need to bring along the dog in case he does have a brain so they can do the operation," Arcade continued.

Chloe turned to the King. "Well?"

The King looked sadly down to Rex. "As much as I want to, I cannot leave my duties here."

Chloe thought for a long moment. She then had an idea. There was a slim chance it would work, but it wasn't as if she was going anywhere as it was right now. "Up for a bargain?"

"The King doesn't bargain with strangers like you," Pacer growled.

"Pacer, don't talk to her like that," the King ordered, rounding on his right hand man. "What's the matter with you, lately?"

"I'm just trying to help. There's something about her I don't like."

"Really now," the King snorted. He turned back to Chloe. "Fire away, baby."

"I will travel to Jacobstown on one condition."

"If I can make it possible, I will do it," the King stated, nodded.

"If you can get me and my friends into the Strip, I'll do all in my power to get Rex a new brain."

The King thought for a long moment. "It will be tough with the amount of friends you have, but seeing as I have many connections within the Strip, I'm sure it will be no problem."

Chloe frowned. "Please tell me you aren't going to tell Benny I'm on my way."

The King twitched his lips. "I told you, it isn't my business. You're secret is safe with me, Chloe. You do what you have to do. I told you before that we hold no loyalty to each other."

She felt she could believe him and trust him, so she shook on it. She turned back to Arcade. "It's a deal, Arcade! When are you heading out?"

"Tomorrow morning. You can meet me here in the Fort, and we can go."

"Great, see you in the morning!"

They left the Mormon Fort. The King and his posse escorted her back to the Atomic Wrangler. Chloe was surprised to see Cass and Boone outside, as if they were waiting for her to show up. Cass was pacing, while Boone was leaning on the wall. Cass stopped moving once they spotted them walking up.

Chloe turned to face the King. She smiled up at him. "Thank you for the lovely evening."

"I should be thanking you. I'll be waitin' for you to come pick up Rex in the morning," the King answered. "I'll pull those strings while you're away."

"This doesn't seem like a fair trade," Pacer put in, folding his arms. "What if she comes back without a new brain for Rex?"

"I know Chloe will keep her word. And if she is unable to locate a new brain, at least she was able to try. And that is enough for me."

"Well, goodnight. I will see you in the morning," Chloe said. She went to turn away and go join Cass and Boone when the King grabbed her arm and twirled her around. The next thing she knew, he was kissing her. Chloe was too stunned to kiss back or respond at all. Cass and Boone gawked as the King let her go, smiling and heading home with his posse and Rex.

Chloe blinked, slowly smiling as she turned to face Cass and Boone, but found that her legs had become very weak. Cass was literally green, pretending to stick her finger down her throat.

"That almost made me fucking barf!" she exclaimed. "I oughta pop that man in the damn nose!"

"I'm just gonna…ya…well…you know, so…drink…sleep," Chloe mumbled, walking into the Atomic Wrangler.

Boone gave a sickened Cass a look. "Don't even think about it."

"What? I wasn't going to do anything! You think you know me so well, but you don't!" Cass snapped.

They followed her inside. Chloe made sure to gather her bearings before she gathered her friends around a single table in the lounge of the small hotel and casino.

"Okay…I have something to announce."

"Chloe and the King sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-"

Cass was cut off by Boone's glare. The caravan driver glowered back, and then sighed. "Alright, alright. You got my undivided fuckin' attention."

Chloe tried again. "Look, I know I brought all of you here, and then we hit this dead end because none of us can get into the Strip. I'm sorry about it. I will understand completely whenever anyone decides to leave on their own. I shouldn't expect any of you to stay with me forever. The King promised me a deal that if I take Rex to Jacobstown to try and get him a new brain, he would pull strings to get us onto the Strip."

"And he will also pull strings to get you undressed," Cass laughed. When she realized she was the only one chuckling, she quickly shut up. "Jeez, you guys are no fun."

"Anyways," Chloe grumbled, glaring at her friend. "So it's all up in the air now. You guys have your own choices, whether you want to come with me, stay here, or go your own way."

"Jacobstown?" Veronica gasped. "I heard they have snow up there! I'm definitely in!"

"What's snow?" Chloe asked, confused.

"It's this cold, white stuff that covers the ground and is supposed to be a form of rain when it gets too cold! Something they used to have a lot in the Pre-War days!"

"It sounds like something you can eat," Cass snickered.

"You can. It's just like shaved ice," Raul answered.

"You can shave ice?" Cass grunted. "The fuck?"

"Never mind," the old ghoul grumbled. "Count me in, boss. It's been a long time since I've seen some snow. I could go for some cooler weather also."

Chloe looked to Cass and Boone. ED-E was definitely in, as it seemed the Eyebot was attached to Chloe and wanted to follow her everywhere. Cass heaved a long sigh, thinking. "I'm actually thinking about writing a book bout this crazy adventure you are taking me on, so why the fuck not?"

"What a way to put it, Cass," Chloe chuckled.

"Well, Craig?" Cass inquired, turning to the sniper.

Boone gave her another glare. "It's Boone. Only Carla could call me Craig."

"Oh right, sorry."

"As I am interested just to see where this will go next, you can count me in," Boone answered evenly.

"You sound so excited," Cass stated dully, rolling her eyes. "And I'm being a smartass by the way. Really now, can't you be lively for anything?"

Before an argument could break out, Chloe jumped in. "Alright! Cass, you know that isn't fair. Boone doesn't judge us. We all have our secrets, so just let him be."

Cass let her eyes fall. "Right. Sorry."

"What time are we heading out, boss?"

"In the morning, so I guess I don't have to tell you guys to get plenty of sleep," Chloe chuckled.

"Well it's a good thing you're staying here than with the King, because you probably wouldn't be getting much sleep with him," Cass chuckled.

Chloe blushed. "Hey, I'm just as surprised about that damn kiss as you are. So drop it!"

"Kiss?" Veronica echoed.

"Kiss? What kiss?" Raul inquired, confused.

ED-E beeped rapidly, flying over to Chloe and twitching its antennae. Chloe got to her feet, quickly heading for the stairs to run for her room. "Goodnight!"


	7. Guess Who I Saw Today

### Chapter 6: Guess Who I Saw Today

Chloe was happy to see Quinn come into view after hours of travel. Shadow barked excitedly, but her father quickly hushed him. The walk from New Reno proved to be laid back this round. They only had one run in with raiders, and then some wild dogs tried to attack them. Other than that, the roads had been clear to Quinn.

"Let's go see if we can find that boyfriend of yours," Colby chuckled.

"Dad! He isn't my boyfriend!" Chloe griped. Shadow barked in agreement, and she patted the pit bull on the head.

"Oh, excuse me!" he laughed. "You guys just seem to like each other a little too much, that's all. But he knows I will blow his head off with my sawed-off shotgun if he tries anything with you."

"No wonder the guys are scared to say hi to me," she grumbled.

Colby ruffled her hair. "You know I'm just kidding, sweetie."

"So, are we going to go out and hunt for the Legion Slavers immediately when we meet up with Jacob?"

"Nah, we can rest up first. Jacob should've been there all day. He is supposed to be gathering information on where they are being spotted at. Did I ever tell you that Joshua and I used to hunt a lot of Legionaries back in the day?" Colby asked.

"Yeah! So, do you think that is why he got hunted down when he went to New Vegas?" Chloe asked, thinking about Jacob's father.

"Not sure. I think mainly it had to do with the fact that he used to be in a tribe when he was young, and when Caesar conquered it, he ran away. At least, that is what he told as his story anyway. I sometimes felt as if he wasn't speaking the truth. I don't know if he was just too ashamed to tell the truth, or if he was hiding something."

"Have you ever asked Jacob? Maybe his father told him something that he didn't tell you," Chloe asked.

"I did, and he acted as though his father never said anything to him," Colby answered.

They had finally made their way into the small town. The residents walked about doing their own business, trying to sell their produce and livestock at the bazaar, or trying to catch the caravan before it headed out. It took them no time to spot Jacob. He waved them down in the town square. He shook Colby's hand and then gave Chloe a hug. Shadow barked at Jacob, growling lowly.

"Shadow! Down! You know better than that!"

"I see he still doesn't like me," Jacob chuckled. He tried to reach down to pet the dog, and he only bared his teeth.

"Shadow!" Chloe yelled, making the pit bull slink away, still growling.

"I told you dogs hate me," Jacob sighed.

"He's just protective of Chloe," Colby chuckled. "Besides, that just goes to show that we don't get to see you very often. You come across as a stranger to Shadow."

"I guess you're right," Jacob said. He looked the same since the last time Colby and Chloe seen him. He wore a mercenary outfit, with several types of weapons on him. His untidy black hair was the same, along with the thin scar on his cheek. "How about after this job we all three go to the Nines? It's the best bar and casino in town, and has some musical acts and great food."

"What a perfect way to relax after dealing with some Legion trash," Colby agreed, and then turned to his daughter. "What do ya say, sweetie?"

"Sounds good to me!"

"Great! So, are you guys ready to head out? I heard from the sheriff that the Legion Slaver group was last spotted at Falling Rock. They said they sent out a few other mercenaries already, but none have returned. If we hurry, we can take our chance because I hear a group of NCR rangers are heading that way to deal with the problem."

"They will definitely get the job done if we don't head out then," sighed Colby. "We could use the caps, so let's go."

Jacob nodded, taking point and leading them out of town. Chloe got her weapons ready as Shadow trotted at her side. His ears were pricked forward, and he panted from the heat of the desert. Falling Rock was a gorge a few miles outside of Quinn. The residents were worried that the Legion Slavers were camping out that way, and building its defenses to take the town. Chloe knew this was dangerous, and could see that her father was fixated on the job. He was tense, his eyes sharp as they neared Falling Rock. They could see a pack of mole rats digging around near their mounds off from the dirt track they were following to the gorge. Luckily, they found no trouble with any of the local wildlife this round.

The gorge was deep and narrow, with bits of rock falling around them as they moved their way through with weapons ready. Shadow was getting anxious with soft whining and pricked ears. The sun's rays couldn't reach them in certain areas of the gorge, so they hit many areas within shade. The stone that made up the gorge were splashes of red and browns, and only seemed to glow in the rays of the sun.

They were about to hit the main opening of Falling Rock. It was more of a basin in the middle, open and circular with only narrow paths to get out of the gorge. It was the best area to find the Legion Slavers.

Colby turned to Jacob and Chloe. "I will go first. Cover me."

He took off, Shadow right on his heels. Jacob and Chloe followed after her father, crouching slightly before coming into the opening of the basin. There was nothing here. They stood dumbfounded for a moment, seeing no life. There were definitely signs of the Legion having camped here, however.

"Looking for someone?"

They spun around, weapons raised. Shadow barked, ears pinned back and hackles bristling. There was a large group of Legion Slavers. Somehow they had expected their arrival and had followed them into the gorge. The man who had spoken to them in the front of the ambush party was definitely the leader. Colby cursed under his breath, glancing over at his daughter.

"We're here to take you out of commission. We know that you are planning to raid Quinn," Jacob stated bravely, gun aimed at the leader.

"Well, there are eight of us and only three of you…four if you count that mutt. It's too bad we didn't bring any of our dogs to play," the leader said. He wore a strange battle helmet decorated in raven feathers.

"I know it will do no good to reason with barbarians like you. So let's just cut to the chase where we kill each other, huh?" Colby growled.

"That sounds fair. And I will claim your daughter right there as my first slave in the New Reno region. How's that?"

"I won't give you the chance!"

Colby opened fire with his .387 Magnum. The Legionaries were quick to open fire right back at them. Shadow howled, running straight for a soldier that was coming for Chloe. He leaped up, hitting the slaver in the chest and knocking him to the ground before ripping at his face. Jacob slid to cover behind a boulder, while Chloe and her father dove behind the rotting body of a Pre-War vehicle that was in the basin.

A slaver came around the corner, grabbing Chloe. Chloe was quick to act, elbowing him in the face and busting his nose, and then slamming her fist into his abdomen and flipping him. She put a bullet in his head just as her father engaged another Legion slaver. Chloe saw Jacob getting swarmed by a few men at once. She tried to run his way, but was tripped by another slaver. He tried to climb on top of her, in the hopes to knock her out. Chloe slammed her knee into the man's groin, and it was enough to knock the air from him.

"Shadow! Sic him boy!"

The pit bull came charging up, latching jaws onto the slaver's throat and tearing him off of Chloe. Chloe got to her feet, aiming her pistol to fire multiple shots at the men coming after Jacob. Her father was firing too. They were winning the battle.

Chloe saw the leader of the slaver group rise up from behind a rock, aiming his rifle right at her. She immediately turned the arm that was holding her gun to shoot him down, but her father slammed into her and knocked her out of the way. The single bullet echoed across the basin, striking Colby in the chest.

"DAD!"

He dropped to his knees, firing a few blind rounds at the slaver leader. He poked his head up to take another shot, but before Chloe could aim her gun, she heard a blast from a shotgun. Jacob had fired the shot, and the blast blew the slaver leader's head clean off with a geyser of blood.

Jacob was quick to run over to her. Chloe held pressure on the bullet wound on her father's chest as he crumbled onto his back. Shadow ran over, a bullet wound in his side. The dog started licking Colby's fingers, whimpering.

"We have to get him back to Quinn! Now!" Chloe yelled. "Dad, hang in there!"

"Shit! We got more trouble!" Jacob called, pointing.

Another group of Legion soldiers were coming into the gorge now. Shadow started barking like mad, but Chloe couldn't leave her father's side.

"Go, Chloe! Get out of here!" Colby choked.

"I'm not leaving you!" she cried.

"Jacob! Take her away from here!"

"But we can't leave you!"

"I'm bleeding out, just go!" Colby yelled, coughing up blood.

Bullets were flying now, and they sliced the air right above her head. Jacob grabbed her, pulling her away from her father. Chloe fought Jacob, crying and kicking. She saw some of the Legion soldiers being shot down. They saw NCR rangers moving into the gorge with weapons aimed.

Chloe was really fighting Jacob now. The NCR would help them and her father. She slammed her elbow into Jacob's throat. He yelled out, letting her go. As Chloe took off for the rangers, passing through the battling factions, she felt a sharp pain strike the back of her skull. The world and battle around her instantly went black and she crumbled to the dirt.

****************************************************************************************************************

Chloe leaped awake, gasping. She was sweaty and nearly out of breath. The dream brought tears to her eyes, and she punched the wall hard. She climbed out of bed, only to start pacing. ED-E beeped at her, having been hovering by the door all night long. The Eyebot seemed curious, and floated over to her.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. She then heaved a sigh after ED-E responded with another beep. "Look at me…I'm talking to a robot that only beeps. It would be better if you could talk like other robots."

She slumped back down onto the mattress. She took a moment to clear her head, and let her heartbeat slow down. The dream was an exact playback on how the battle at Falling Rock went down. When she had awoke from whatever had hit her from behind, she was back in Quinn with Jacob, Shadow, and the NCR rangers that had saved them.

Jacob had told her that a Legion slaver knocked her out from behind, and showed his own wounds from the battle with the same slaver. The NCR had been unsuccessful at taking all the Legion soldiers out. And when Chloe, Jacob, Shadow, and an NCR search party went back to Falling Rock to retrieve her father's body, he was gone.

Chloe had no idea why the Legion would take her father's body with them. She wanted to so badly hope that maybe he was still alive, but the possibilities were just minuscule. If her father had somehow survived the bullet to the chest, which had probably hit his lung according to the blood he spit up while laying there, then the Legion would have surely finished him off. The question was, why would they take his body?

Chloe knew some sick, twisted things about Caesar's Legion. There was no telling what they would do with her father's body, but she heard that sometimes they fed their dogs with dead bodies, or used them to attract the wildlife they used, like ravens for their feathers, or coyotes, wolves, and foxes for their pelts. Or mounted the bodies up to rot away as warning signs to traveling people.

Chloe knew what disturbed her most was that she wasn't able to say goodbye to her father. She had lost hope since the incident at Falling Rock a few months ago that he would be alive. There was just no way. But she didn't even get to say any final words, or bury his body. It was unfair…and she hated the Legion for it.

Jacob swore that he would protect her after that. She even had started a romantic relationship with him. Jacob had been good to her, allowing her to heal and letting her take her time deciding about his proposition to head east.

She was confused with his obsession to go east. She told him Caesar's Legion was just across the Colorado River, and there was no way around its vast numbers in the territories. Jacob tried to tell her that he heard stories of better societies to the east, and that there were ways around the Legion within Colorado.

Her instincts told her it was a bad idea. Instead, she told Jacob it was best for them to part ways. He went east, straight across the state of Nevada, and she traveled south east across the Mojave Wasteland to the southern tip of Nevada…to New Vegas. Caesar's Legion was just across the Colorado River, and their numbers were much higher here than in New Reno. Chloe came here only for the fact that her father had always wanted to come here with her and see how much it had changed since he had been in the region when he was young. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that she also came here to get some sort of revenge on Caesar's Legion.

Sighing, Chloe grabbed the Pip-Boy off of the nightstand where she had put it. She checked the time. It was almost six in the morning. She figured it would be best to start getting ready. It wasn't as though she could go back to sleep anyways. She took the time to clean her head wound and rewrap it, then proceeded to get dressed into her clothes and clean up a little. She made her way down to the front counter, where she checked out of her room, and also ordered some breakfast.

She took her meal to an old round table, sitting her bag of supplies down next to her feet. ED-E floated around the lobby not far from her. The courier started digging into her hot bowl of squirrel stew but jumped as Cass slid into a seat in front of her with a plate of sizzling gecko kebabs.

"Morning, Chloe!"

She blinked, slowly smiling. She was glad someone decided to show up to talk to her. Now she could put that dream to rest and try to forget about it. "Good morning, Cass. Sleep well?"

"Besides the fact that my room reeked of sex and booze, hell yeah I did!"

Chloe chuckled. "It isn't the cleanest place in town, but it's better than sleeping on a bedroll out in the desert."

"Amen to that. Have you seen Veronica or Raul get up yet? I know Boone beat us up. I don't know where he went though."

"No, I haven't," Chloe answered, looking over to the stairs that led up to the upper balcony where the doors to the rooms were.

A few minutes later, they saw Veronica tiredly following behind the gunslinger ghoul as they walked down the stairs. The two ordered their food, and then joined Chloe and Cass at their table a few minutes later.

"Ugh, I didn't sleep well at all! Guess I am used to the luxury of the bunker," Veronica snorted sarcastically.

"After weeks of sleeping in that tiny cell up in Black Mountain, this felt like luxury," Raul mumbled.

"Where's Boone?" Veronica asked, looking around.

"He went off somewhere," Cass shrugged. "He'll probably show up just as we are leaving."

"Actually, there he is now," Chloe stated, pointing to the entrance to the Atomic Wrangler.

Boone had just entered the hotel and casino. Spotting them at the table, he made his way over to them. They could tell he had been up for awhile. He looked dressed and ready to go for the long trip into the mountains. They finished their meals and headed out of the Atomic Wrangler. Chloe stopped just before they reached the King's School of Impersonation.

"You guys go on ahead to Mormon Fort. I will slip in and get Rex and meet you guys there."

"What's wrong? You don't want us to be present while you're with your boyfriend?" Cass snickered.

"Ha ha, very funny, Cass," Chloe sighed. She then shooed them off and headed into the King's building by herself.

The building was much emptier than the first time she came in to see the King. She figured because it was so early in the morning. The Kings that were hanging around looked at her curiously, and weren't shy in their greetings to say hello. It didn't take her long to bump into the King's right hand man.

Pacer glared at her. "I was wondering if you were going to show up."

She glared right back. "Well, yeah, I gave him my word. What's your problem with me? If I recall, I didn't do anything sour to you."

"Do I need a reason?" Pacer scoffed. "C'mon, follow me. The quicker you see the King and get Rex, the quicker you will leave and get out of my hair."

Chloe rolled her eyes, following Pacer to the hallway on the other side of the front lobby, away from the theater where she had spoken to the King the first time. He led her through the upper floors of the School until they came to the King's suite. Pacer lightly tapped on the door.

"What's her name is here," he called.

"It's Chloe."

The door opened, revealing the King. He peered between Pacer and Chloe, feeling the tension. He beckoned Chloe inside and she entered without any hesitation. Pacer turned and left. The King closed the door behind him, watching as Chloe examined his suite while petting Rex.

It was easily the biggest room in the while building, save for the theater downstairs. It was set up like any other fancy suite, with many intact portraits, posters, and photos of the original King of the Pre-War days.

"Did ya sleep well?" the King asked.

Chloe turned to him, smiling at his twang. "Yeah." She then frowned, glancing away.

"Your eyes tell me different," he said, walking over to her. "Somethin' tells me you got the nightmare blues, darling."

"It's nothing." She shook it off. "Well, it will be late tomorrow before we will probably get back. Will you be up?"

"You can come see me anytime," the King replied. "Now, before you go, I should tell you a few things about Rex. He hates rats. He will take off after it if he sees one, and will hardly listen until he kills it or it gets away. He also hates hats…I don't know why though. Maybe it's because it rhymes with rats. Even though he used to be a Legion dog, it seems as though he has grown to hate them since he was dropped off as junk. He'll do alright by you when it comes to them and anything else that is a threat."

Chloe nodded. "No rats, no hats. Got it."

The King kneeled to pet on the German Shepherd cyber-dog. Rex panted happily, thumping his tail and pawing at the King. "Now, you behave yourself, Rex. And you take care of Chloe. Got it, 'ol boy?"

Rex barked in response.

The King stood up, nodding at Chloe. "Good luck. I will see you when you return. I will probably just be bored outta my mind until then."

"Not very exciting around here, is it?"

"My duties keep me bind down in this building. I hardly get out, and I can't leave my boys to themselves," the King sighed. "But as long as it keeps Freeside a little more civil, then so be it."

Chloe twitched a smile. "You're a good man."

"I try to be, anyways." The King looked at his watch. "Well, darling, you better head out. I don't want to keep ya."

"Ya, you do," Chloe laughed. "I can tell."

"That obvious?" He kissed her forehead. "Travel safely, darling."

"I will. C'mon, Rex!"

****************************************************************************************************************

Highway 157 was winding as much as it was eroding away with time. The large group stayed to the road for safety and a better climb to the top where Jacobstown resided. Arcade led the way with Chloe, Rex, ED-E, and Veronica close behind. Cass, Boone, and Raul brought up the rear, keeping alert since they were entering into thick Bighorner territory. The giant mutated mountain rams traveled in herds, and though most of the time they avoided humans, they were easily angered, especially when lead males were around.

"So, Jacobstown is a town of Super Mutants?" Chloe asked again.

"Yeah! Dr. Henry has worked at the ski lodge there for years with his ghoul assistant Calamity," Arcade answered, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"So they aren't going to try and rip us to shreds?" Cass grumbled.

"As long as no one causes trouble, they don't mind at all. They are all friendly…well, except for the Nightkin. They get kind of rude if you stare at them."

"Stare at them?" Veronica chuckled. "Are they self-conscious or something?"

Arcade scratched the back of his head, making a strange face as if he was trying to think of the best way to explain. "The stealth boy prototypes they used long ago in the Master's Army kind of made them all…schizophrenic."

"Great! Schizoid Nightkin! This day just keeps getting better and better!" Cass snipped.

"Just be nice and don't stare and they will leave you alone," Arcade stated.

Rex sniffed the asphalt as he trotted along, tail wagging like crazy. Chloe watched him with a smile, reminding her of Shadow. She was sure it had been awhile for Rex to be outside of Freeside. He was happy as can be, and stuck close to her side. Each bark he made, the light in his brain compartment would light up. It had taken Chloe a long moment to settle him at the Mormon Fort, because he was growling at Cass and Boone with their hats on. After Chloe told the dog to settle and that they were on their side, the dog seemed to settle and relax.

The cyber-dog suddenly jerked his head to look to the left side of the road. He howled, taking off and almost tripping Raul. ED-E was close behind the dog, beeping madly.

"We got Cazadors!" Boone exclaimed, drawing his rifle.

The swarm of huge wasps came their way. They opened fire with their weapons, dodging and keeping their legs moving to prevent getting stung. The stinger itself was like getting a knife into the body, but then the venom could be fatal. Chloe dodged a Cazador that was the size of her. She fired multiple shots before it fell to the ground dead. As she ran around to help the others, she slipped off the side of the road, falling over a wet slope. She hit the bottom with a sharp thud.

"Chloe! Are you alright?" Arcade called.

"Yeah! Just give me a minute! I will climb back up!"

Rex was over the edge now, barking madly. He paced side to side, as if trying to decide if he should jump or not. ED-E didn't have that problem, flying immediately down to her. At first, Chloe didn't understand what was making Rex go crazy, but then Boone called out at her.

"Radscorpion! Move Chloe!"

She spun, watching in horror as a huge scorpion the size of a truck unbury itself from rocks and dirt. Chloe's heart hit her throat as she jerked into gear. The arachnid slammed its barb down, trying to stick her. The barb struck ground instead. The pinchers swooped at her, and Chloe quickly climbed up the slope as ED-E started firing its lasers and her friends started covering her with their own rain of bullets.

Raul helped her to her feet once she made it. The others were able to kill the hissing Radscorpion. After taking a moment to catch their breaths, the group made their way back onto the cracked and broken highway to continue their climb up the mountain.

"Damn it, I hate those freaking things!" Chloe yelled, shivering in disgust.

Arcade chuckled. "Yeah, it would be better if they returned to their normal size like back in the Pre-War days, huh?"

"Boss, I didn't think you could move so fast. You looked like a dang spider monkey climbing up that slope."

Chloe chuckled at the ghoul. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Considering a giant Radscorpion almost impaled you and ate you for lunch, yeah!"

Chloe petted the panting Rex as they moved on. As the hours slowly ticked by, the desert terrain slowly turned to green grass and tall, evergreen trees. Chloe was awed by the trees. It was the first time she had ever seen them in person, besides in Pre-War books. The Great War had left the world dead and dry. The trees out in the wasteland were nothing but charred black stumps leftover from the bombs. Looking at the luscious mountains around them, with the trees and other flora, it gave Chloe a good insight into what the world would have looked like before the bombs dropped. It was beautiful.

She had to go touch one. She felt like a little kid, but Arcade chuckled at her inquisitiveness, and opened up to talk about the many different trees he had read about. Chloe wasn't the only one. Boone looked interested, though he kept a low profile about it. Raul wasn't shy to open up how he missed real trees, and that they brought back old memories from his Pre-War days. Cass felt the bark tentatively before smelling it curiously. Veronica went on and on about something as her duties as a Brotherhood Scribe and was taking samples and writing notes.

They finally moved on, being quiet for a long moment before Cass broke the silence.

"Chloe, I was just thinking. Yesterday, when you were griping at those NCR soldiers and Kings at the water pump…you said you and your father knew some higher-ups."

"Yeah."

"Who do you know?"

"I only know them through my father. There were a few. I guess the easiest one to say is President Kimball."

"You met Aaron Kimball?" Boone snorted.

"Yeah, I did. He and my dad were once great friends in their younger days. Of course, they eventually went their separate ways. Well, when Aaron became President of NCR, he offered Dad and me a home in California with plenty of food, water, and security, with well paid jobs."

"And you guys didn't take it?" Veronica asked, sounding surprised.

"No, my Dad didn't want to. I don't know why."

As evening hit, they were well on the top of the mountain. Snow had started to form, barely covering the grass at first, but then as they neared Jacobstown, it became a few feet deep. The temperature had dropped rapidly. Though she was cold, Chloe went straight to the snow to check it out. Rex dove right in, burying his nose and snorting. His tail was wagging. When Chloe picked the cold white substance up, she almost felt like she was holding something magical.

"This is snow?" Chloe asked, grinning.

"That it is," Arcade chuckled. "A form of rain. Very common in the Pre-War days. Associated with winter, Christmas, all that good jazz. The water vapor in the atmosphere freezes into these little ice crystals and fall to the ground as flakes."

"I read a Pre-War book on activities in the snow. There was snowball fighting, building beings called snowmen, and rolling around in the snow to make snow angels!" Veronica exclaimed.

A ball of snow smacked the Brotherhood Scribe right in the face, making her yelp. Cass howled in laughter. "Like that?"

"Yes!" Veronica replied, brushing the snow from her face.

Chloe balled up some of her own snow and chunked it. Arcade ducked, and the snowball hit Raul.

"Hey now! That's uncalled for!"

It didn't take long before more snowballs went flying. Arcade, Raul, and Boone got out of the way while the girls flung snowballs. Rex ran around barking happily while ED-E buzzed and beeped a tune. The Eyebot turned on its radio to a Pre-War song that was singing, "Let it Snow".

"Should we let them tire out?" Arcade asked, smiling.

"They are tiring me out just watching them," Raul sighed, shaking his head.

"Duck!" Arcade yelled.

Boone was hit and so was Raul again. Arcade dodged two more snowballs before Chloe had a successful hit on his back. Boone grumbled something as he wiped the snow from his face, glaring at Cass.

"Are you done?" he asked.

Chloe chuckled and turned to Cass and Veronica. "Alright, alright, we should get going."

"You men are no fun!" Veronica exclaimed as they made their way back to the road.

Jacobstown was just another half-mile up the road. The town had a huge wall made out of logs surrounding it, keeping outsiders at bay. They could see the large ski lodge in the back, along with some of the houses the Super Mutants had built. They were greeted at the main entrance by a dark green Mutant loaded down with several types of arsenal on his person. He seemed quite curious of the large group, but his eyes brightened upon seeing Arcade.

"Hey, Arcade! I didn't know you had so many friends."

"Very funny, Marcus," Arcade greeted. "They traveled with me from Freeside. Chloe here wants to see if Dr. Henry can fix this cyber-dog."

Marcus scratched his bald head. "Alright. Well, everyone, I'm Marcus. I am in charge of this town. We are all second generation Super Mutants here. The reason why we live way up here is to keep safe from those who think we are nothing but mindless monsters. You are welcome here so long as you don't cause any trouble. Seeing as you are with Arcade though, I doubt I will have to worry about that."

They followed Arcade into the large ski lodge. Their group got many different looks from the Nightkin and Super Mutants walking around. Some said hello, while others glared at them suspiciously.

Once inside the ski lodge, they stayed on the first floor and went to the eastern section from the lobby. They found a clinic set up here, and they were greeted by a female ghoul dressed similar to a nurse.

"Hey, Arcade! Dr. Henry's expecting you. I didn't know you were going to bring so many friends though."

"The more the merrier, eh Calamity?" Arcade joked.

The female ghoul smiled, nodding. She beckoned them all in before calling over to Dr. Henry. They could see him bent over a project at the table. He grumbled something, and then left it to greet them. Dr. Henry was a man in his sixties with white hair and a white mustache. He wore thick glasses and simple clothing.

"Arcade, my boy! How are ya? Did you bring that sample?" the doctor greeted. He then noticed the large group with him. "Who're they?"

"These are friends of mine. Chloe here wanted to know if you could fix her cyber-dog. He needs a new brain," Arcade explained. He then grunted, quickly digging into his jacket and pulling out a metal cylinder tube. "Here's the sample you wanted. I hope it works in your research. I also brought some supplies to you from Julia for the exchange."

"Yeah, well, it hasn't been easy trying to find a cure for the Nightkin…but they are counting on me, and by God I am going to find one!"

"You are trying to cure the Nightkin? Of their schizophrenia?" Chloe asked.

Dr. Henry nodded. "Yes. They refuse to stop using the Stealth Boys. I guess I can't blame then. It's just how they are. It would be like trying to take the ability to make web from a spider. What I am trying to do is find a cure to free their minds from the side effects of those Stealth Boys they use. We can't fix the Stealth Boys, but I know we can cure the side effects easily, if we just look hard enough."

"He's been working on this for…what? A year?" Arcade asked

"Just about." The doctor then shook his head, and motioned to Chloe. "So, what seems to be the matter with your cyber-dog here?"

"Arcade told me that you specialized in human and dog brains. Rex here needs a new brain. The one he has is dying."

"Hmm, yes I see that." Dr. Henry kneeled to take a closer look at the dog. Rex sniffed him curiously as the doctor looked him over. "Wow, this brain is long overdo to be replaced. But seeing as cyber-dogs are extremely rare, I can understand this case."

"So do you have a brain I could use?" Chloe asked hopefully.

Dr. Henry sighed. "Not here, I'm afraid, and I don't have the time to travel to the bunk…I mean my other laboratory to see if the ones there are still good."

Chloe's shoulders sagged while her group exhaled negatively. They had traveled all this way for nothing. Arcade studied Chloe closely, and then turned to Dr. Henry.

"I could travel there for you, Dr. Henry."

"No, no, are you crazy?"

"I promised Rex would get a new brain. I don't have much money. Is there anything I can do to get one of those brains?" Chloe asked.

Dr. Henry thought for a moment, and then sighed, glaring at Arcade. "Alright, alright, you win. Look, here's the deal. If you go into the cave up on the top slope just outside Jacobstown and figure out why the Nightstalkers are suddenly having the ability to camouflage into their surroundings, I will travel to my other laboratory with Arcade to get you a suitable brain for Rex."

"Deal!" Chloe yelled, jumping in excitement.

"I wouldn't sound so thrilled," the doctor grumbled. "Nightstalkers are dangerous animals. Their venomous bite can kill you in an hour. And now we have a pack of them that are suddenly being able to go invisible! It was hard to spot them before, but now this will be near impossible."

"What's a Nightstalker anyways?" Chloe asked. "Never heard of them unless they were called something different from where I came from."

"They've been in this region for many years, but are fairly new," Arcade explained. "Apparently, some idiot thought it would be a good idea to mix coyote and rattlesnake DNA to make a chimera of a creature. They have the head and tail of a rattlesnake, and along their back is rough scales. The rest of the body is of a coyote. Even though they have the head of a rattlesnake, they act just like coyotes and form packs and are nocturnal."

"I have plenty of Nightstalker serum here," Dr. Henry added. "Calamity can give anyone injections if they get bit. Just remember to head back right away if you do get bit. I propose you take Lily with you. She is one of the best warriors in town, and Nightkin and Super Mutants can withstand more venom than humans."

"Alright," Chloe stated, slowly nodding.

Arcade smiled down at her. "She is the Nightkin outside near the Bighorner pen. Don't worry, Chloe. You just get in there and figure out what is going on, and Dr. Henry and I will go get that brain for Rex."

"There's no need for you guys to go alone. I will take Lily, ED-E and Rex into the cave, and the others can go with you."

"No! We will be fine with just ourselves!" Dr. Henry snapped.

"Okay, sheesh."

Dr. Henry turned to Arcade. "Let's head out so we can get back before dark. Calamity, you are in charge here."

The two men headed out. Chloe and her group were given free rooms for their stay, and got settled into the ski lodge before meeting back down into the lobby.

"Okay, I don't want anyone getting bitten. I am going to take ED-E and Rex with me. You guys just hang out here."

"But!" Veronica protested.

"I won't be gone long!" Chloe exclaimed, heading out the door with Rex and ED-E.

The evening was causing much more shade than from earlier, now that the sun was dipping below the mountain. Chloe found the Nightkin Lily Bowen by the Bighorner pen while tossing the domesticated animals some hay.

"Hello?" she greeted nervously.

The Nightkin whirled around, smiling with bright, white teeth. She wore a straw hat with a flower sticking out on one side. She also wore bright colored sunglasses that were out of place. She wore a simple female Nightkin farmer's outfit even down to the gardening gloves. It looked more like the attire for desert, but then Chloe remembered that Nightkin and Super Mutants were immune to the cold.

"Oh! Hi darling! It is so good to see you again!" Lily's voice was loud and rough.

"Huh?" Chloe grunted. "But we've never met. I'm Chl-"

"Oh, you are so funny! Come give Grandma a hug! You've gotten so big!"

Chloe's eyes widened, but she wasn't quick enough at moving away. The Nightkin swooped her large arms around her and picked her up to give her a squeezing bear hug. Rex barked playfully. It didn't help that Chloe could see that her friends had come out and were now witnessing her get hugged by a Nightkin. Cass and Veronica were busting out in laughter.

Lily put her back down. "There! You don't fight near as much as little Jimmy! I think he is still a little too shy! So what can Grandma do for you, pumpkin?"

_And I thought things couldn't get weirder…_

Sighing, Chloe gave a weak smile. "I'm trying to get my dog here a new brain. Dr. Henry said you could help me search a cave outside of town to see what is going on with the Nightstalkers there in turn for Rex here getting a brain!"

"Pumpkin, doesn't that sound a little too dangerous for you? Nightstalkers are sneaky predators! Charleston Cave is home to many of them!"

"It's the only way to get Rex a brain. Will you please help me?"

"Aw, anything for you, sweetheart! Are we heading out now?"

"Yes! Can you lead the way?"

"Of course, dearie! Follow Grandma!"

The Nightkin took off running. Chloe quickly followed after her with Rex and ED-E at her heels. The cave was located behind Jacobstown up on the top of a slope, hidden in the crevice of the snow covered rocks and trees.

They slipped through the entrance, coming down a slippery tunnel until they entered the cave. Chloe immediately told ED-E to scan ahead. The cave was dark, but luckily the Pip-Boy's light and ED-E's search light were bright enough. There were even several cracks in the cave that led sunlight drain in. The cave was silent, with the occasional echoing water droplets or falling pebbles in the distance.

Rex snarled, pinning his ears. Chloe tried to move forward but Lily grabbed her and picked her up as though she weighed nothing.

"Hold on, dear! There is danger here!"

Chloe tensed when she heard a rattler echo across the chamber. Then there was another one. Rex barked loudly, hackles bristling. ED-E's sensors easily picked up the thermal readings of the animals, and the Eyebot quickly took out the invisible beasts with its quick lasers.

"Good job, ED-E!"

They let the Eyebot fly ahead to use its abilities as they traveled through the cave to look for clues. There were a few of the Nightstalkers that showed themselves to Chloe and her comrades. The rattlesnake head opened wide and hissed, running after them. Rex slammed into one. Chloe feared the dog would get bit, but as the Nightstalker struggled against the bigger dog, it tried to bite but only hit the metal of Rex's backside. ED-E took out a few more invisible ones, while Lily used her giant sledgehammer to kill several others. She got bit on the wrist by one as she was finishing it.

"Lily! You are bit!"

"I'm fine, darling! Let's move on! Oh shut up, Leo! I think she knows that!" Lily snorted.

Chloe was confused. "Huh? Leo?"

"You know how he can be, dearie!"

"But there is no one here," Chloe said, then remembered the Nightkin suffered from schizophrenia. It would also explain why Lily thought Chloe was her granddaughter when she clearly was not.

"Of course he is! Don't be silly!"

They moved on. Finally, they found the back of the cave, where more sunlight filtered through a large crack in the rock ceiling. They found the half-eaten corpse of a Nightkin lying to the side. Next to him, Chloe caught sight of something very interesting.

"Oh, look at this! That explains everything! The Nightstalkers have been chewing on this Stealth Boy!"

"No wonder they can go into hiding like us!" Lily exclaimed.

Chloe picked up the chewed up Stealth Boy and looked it over. Chloe used a few of these in her lifetime. The Stealth Boys always came in handy whenever you needed to be very sneaky and just plain be invisible.

"Alright, let's head back, Lily!"

Chloe let ED-E lead out. Rex was at her heels while Lily followed on behind her. ED-E caught sight of another invisible Nightstalker and started shooting. Rex was howling, but Chloe missed the visible one that came out of the shadows and tackled her. To protect her face, Chloe tossed up her arms. The snake-dog hybrid bit her on the forearm hard before Rex tackled it and killed it.

"Oh no! My baby has been bit!"

"I'm fine. We have plenty of time to get back before the venom starts-"

"I will save you, pumpkin!" Lily yelled.

Chloe didn't have time to get away before the Nightkin swooped her up in her arms and took off running. Rex was barking, following at Lily's heels while ED-E trilled as though it was annoyed.

Chloe was sure she was going to be sick by the way Lily had her hanging over her shoulder like a bag of vegetables. She was relieved that Lily burst through the doors of Jacobstown Lodge and took her straight to Calamity.

The female ghoul wasted no time in giving both Chloe and Lily serum shots. Chloe rubbed at her arm where she gave the shot, waiting for Dr. Henry and Arcade to get back. Veronica and Raul joined them shortly after they arrived back.

"Where are Cass and Boone?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Cass said something about hearing Dr. Henry say something suspicious, so followed them out I think. I guess Boone went after her," Veronica explained.

"Either way, I don't think it was a good idea for them to follow after Arcade and Dr. Henry," Raul added.

It wasn't much longer before Dr. Henry and Arcade showed up with Cass and Boone trailing behind them. Cass looked furious, and Chloe knew something was definitely up by the tension between the four. Boone looked more suspicious than anything, glaring at Dr. Henry as the doctor walked over to the table with a large enclosed case.

"Chloe! Can you believe these two are former Enclave?" Cass hissed.

"Keep your voices down!" Dr. Henry hissed.

Arcade looked just as tense. "There's no reason for this. It was wrong of you to follow us."

"It is kind of hard not to when I hear that you're going to a fucking Vertibird refueling plant!" Cass snapped.

"Hey, hey! Knock it off!" Chloe yelled, jumping up and running over to them.

Veronica's jaw had dropped open, and Raul looked just as surprised. Cass glared at Chloe as she came over.

"I don't care who they used to be with! This is unfair to them! Dr. Henry has been helping these people here for a long while and Arcade has been with the Followers even longer than that! He has saved hundreds of lives. Does that not matter?"

"Over the fact that the Enclave has slaughter thousands and thousands? Of course not!" Cass snapped.

"It will do me no good to explain myself," Dr. Henry sighed. "And now they are going to go tell their superiors. I'm done for."

"No one is telling anyone anything," Chloe snapped, looking between them all. "I can't help what the Enclave did, and I can't help your guys' feelings over it. But for the fact alone that the Enclave have been gone for decades, and that Dr. Henry and Arcade both have been doing their best to help people tells me that we should just drop it and get along."

Cass grew silent, her whole body tense. Boone slowly nodded at Chloe, making his way over to Veronica, Raul, Lily, ED-E, and Rex. Boone glanced over at Cass. "She's right, you know."

Cass growled in annoyance. "Fine…I'm sorry for following you two." She slunk over to the others.

Chloe slowly turned to Arcade and Dr. Henry. Calamity helped the older man get the case open. Arcade looked stunned as he stared at her, as if wasn't expecting her to defend him like she did. Dr. Henry slowly nodded at her.

"Thank you," he breathed.

"We all give our word that we won't tell a word. Right everyone?" Chloe inquired. Her team nodded. She then twitched a smile, cautiously walking over to Arcade. "I'm sorry about that."

"No worries."

"Did you figure out what was going on with the Nightstalkers?" Dr. Henry asked.

"Yes, I found this!" Chloe got out the chewed up Stealth Boy from her courier bag and handed it over.

Dr. Henry seemed surprised, but it quickly made him think of something. "Oh, this is great! If I am able to pick up behavioral changes in the Nightstalkers for chewing on this, then I might be able to find a cure for the Nightkin sooner than I thought! Thank you, Chloe!"

"You're welcome! Lily and I got bit, but we made it back here in plenty of time. Were you able to find a new brain for Rex?"

"Yes, you are lucky! Since being gone from the bunker for many years, even though I have stored many of the different types of brains for my research in specialized containers, most have become too deficient to use. This one I have here was the one in best quality, but I am afraid it only has only a mere decade left on it before it is bad. Most of these brains, especially used for cyber-dogs like Rex here or in RobCo's Robobrain robots, the brains can last nearly fifty years. So, if I were you, I would definitely seek out a new brain in about nine years. It might sound cruel, but the best way to do it is to put down a sick or aging dog whose brain is still healthy that can be used."

Chloe made sure she took this all in. "Alright, I think I got it."

"Now, I will have to prep the brain for the transfer. It will take all night to sit. How about we do Rex's surgery in the morning?" Dr. Henry asked.

"Sounds great! Thank you so much for your help, Dr. Henry."

Dr. Henry took her hand to shake it. "No problem."


	8. The Mysterious Overseer

### Chapter 7: The Mysterious Overseer

The morning rays were warm on Chloe's skin. They felt much nicer than the cold wind that swept through Jacobstown as Super Mutants and Nightkin started in on their chores. The sun had a way of making the snow gleam brightly in its light, putting a smile on her face. There was tranquility found here that was nonexistent in the Mojave Wasteland.

Chloe had left the warmth of the ski lodge to accompany Lily out to feed the Bighorners. She was petting one of the calves as Lily talked on about her memories from Vault 17 when she was once a human. Rex was getting his brain switched out currently. Arcade told her it would only take an hour. He joked as if it was them just switching out an old battery for a new one on a Pre-War vehicle. Dr. Henry also had ED-E with him. He offered to fix the Eyebot for her. Chloe figured that no one could fix an Enclave Eyebot better than an ex-Enclave soldier.

Last night Chloe and her group had stayed up late learning about each other. She was relieved to see Cass finally calm down around Arcade and Dr. Henry and realize that they were trustworthy. Chloe learned a lot about her friends last night, and she could see how it brought them even closer together, despite the short amount of time they've known each other. Boone was still the most withdrawn from the group, but was coming around slowly. There was still a darkness to his eyes that told Chloe that he was keeping tragic secrets, and she hoped that he would soon open up.

They were all still asleep when Chloe took Rex down to see Dr. Henry and Arcade. She saw Lily when she left the clinic to let them fix Rex and ED-E and decided to accompany her to the Bighorner pen. Arcade had explained to Chloe that Lily was once a human living in Vault 17, and when she was a 75 year old grandmother, the Vault was attacked by Super Mutants working with the Master's Army. She was taken and turned into a Nightkin. Between that and her "alter-ego" Leo, Chloe knew Lily was just as unstable as the other Nightkin, and hoped that Dr. Henry would be able to find a cure. Though Chloe understood that Lily was confusing her with a memory of her old granddaughter, she liked the warmth of Lily's company. She never knew her real grandparents. Her father never spoke of his parents, and Chloe never really knew her mother in the first place before she died to know about her side of the family.

"Thank you so much for helping me with the Bighorners, sweetie!" Lily said, her smile looking more like an angry bare of teeth.

"No problem, Lily!"

"Why are you calling Grandma by her real name? Am I not special enough to be called Grandma?"

Chloe sighed, smiling and shaking her head. "Oh, ah, no, no! You're very special, Grandma!"

"Oh, I just love you so much, dear!"

"Hey Chloe!"

She looked over to the entrance to the ski lodge. Cass was waving her down while standing just outside the door. Veronica was with her and had called her name. Cass put her finger in her mouth and whistled; making many of the Super Mutants stop what they were doing and look over at them curiously.

"Oh, you better run along and be with your friends, sweetie! Don't worry, I can finish the morning chores!"

"Thanks Lil-I mean Grandma!" Chloe called, running towards Cass and Veronica. She almost slid on the snow to the steps, but caught herself and grinned at her friends. "What's up?"

"Rex is as good as new! Dr. Henry is just finishing up ED-E for you!" Veronica exclaimed.

Chloe followed the two women into the ski lodge, meeting up with Arcade, Dr. Henry, and Calamity in the clinic. Rex was lying down, but as soon as he saw Chloe, he got to his paws with a happy bark. His tail started wagging as he trotted over to greet her.

"Oh, Rex! You look great! That brain looks much healthier!" Chloe said, bending to pet the cyber-dog.

Arcade came over, smiling. "It was a simple procedure. Using a neurological scan I was able to download all of Rex's memories in the old brain onto another memory chip. It is located near his other one. This is simply so Rex is still current with what he is today. With a new brain like this, who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?"

"A really, really, really old dog," Cass chuckled.

"And here is your Eyebot," Dr. Henry said, walking over. The Eyebot was turned off in his arms. His ghoul assistant turned the robot back on, and ED-E immediately jumped up to start floating around again, beeping happily. Dr. Henry turned to Chloe. "This Eyebot has had a tremendous journey. It came from the east coast…near the ruins of Washington D.C. Apparently, the Enclave is thick out that way…or was. According to its stored database, it looked as though the Brotherhood of Steel wiped most of them out. I have no idea why it was sent out this way, though. Whatever it was, the damage done to it prior to you finding it in Primm made it forget its purpose. That explains why it likes you so much. It thinks that you are its purpose right now."

"Wow, I'm flattered," Chloe joked.

"It won't listen to anyone but you," Arcade stated. "We tried already."

"I better get back to working on the cure for the Nightkin," Dr. Henry said, turning away. "Good luck to you and your friends, Miss Maye."

"Thanks."

"Don't you think you should take a break?" Calamity asked, folding her arms and glaring at the doctor.

"Oh, Calamity! You worry too much!"

The female ghoul rolled her eyes, waving goodbye to Chloe and the others and following the doctor over to his research. Arcade glanced back over at Dr. Henry, then back to Chloe.

"Well, we are all set to head back to Freeside. I just have one last thing to discuss with Dr. Henry. I will meet you guys out at the front entrance to Jacobstown," he said.

Chloe nodded. "Okay."

Chloe left the clinic with Rex, ED-E, Cass, and Veronica. They stopped just inside the main lobby in the lodge, turning to each other. Chloe looked around, noticing that she hadn't seen Boone or Raul all morning.

"Where are Boone and Raul?"

"Still sleeping probably," Veronica answered.

"I saw Boone come down earlier to get some breakfast, but he went back up to his room," Cass added.

They headed upstairs to their rooms. They needed to gather their supplies anyways, and also managed to round up a grumpy Boone and a cold Raul. The poor ghoul was so cold from this weather, that he was mumbling incoherent Spanish. They met outside the main entrance to the Super Mutant community. Chloe and the others talked with Marcus some more while waiting for Arcade to show up. Once the Follower scientist met up with them, Chloe remembered that she probably should say farewell to Lily.

She told the others to wait, and she jogged over to the Nightkin, who was busy gardening while humming a song. She stopped when she saw Chloe, stomping over to her with another Nightkin grin.

"What is it, dear?"

"I came to say goodbye, Grandma! I'm leaving with my friends now."

The Nightkin slumped her shoulders, frowning. "This is so unexpected! I was gonna bake something for you later!"

"I will be back later to visit!"

"Alright, but at least give your Grandma a hug before you leave!"

Chloe again was too slow at dodging those blue arms. Lily snagged her up easily, crushing the petite girl against her chest with a big squeeze. Chloe thought she was going to pop but then Lily sat her down.

"Have fun, sweetie!"

Chloe jogged back over to the group, and they immediately set back out down the mountain for the hot desert at the base of the mountain. Cass laughed at her, patting her on the shoulder.

"You didn't forget to kiss your Grandma on the cheek, did you?"

"Ha ha, very funny. Really, though, I think she popped one of my kidneys," Chloe sighed.

Rex started barking, ears pricked towards a thick set of brush off the road. ED-E beeped a warning, lasers turning to the source and firing a single shot. A huge Yao Guai came bursting out from the brush, roaring out. It rushed them like a truck, even as they all started firing on it.

Rex went straight for the mutated bear. Panic surged through Chloe as she remembered Shadow doing the same exact thing to protect her, only to get ripped apart. She yelled out the dog's name, aiming and firing her gun at the bear. It knocked Raul, Veronica, and Arcade on their butts, and made Cass and Boone dive out of the way.

The Yao Guai slashed at Rex, barely missing him. ED-E continued shooting laser beams, but the bear knocked it out of the way too. Just when it turned to come after Chloe, the air in front of her began to shimmer like that of light on water. Chloe realized it was Stealth Boy camouflage just before it was turned off and Lily suddenly appeared before her.

"Stay away from my grand-baby!" she yelled, drawing out a hammer-like sword and slamming it down onto the bear's skull.

The bash blew a sickening cavity in the Yao Guai's head, making the creature drop dead right on the asphalt. They all took a moment to catch their breaths and form back together. Rex trotted back over to Chloe with ED-E close behind.

"Where the fuck did you come from? Did you follow us?" Cass grunted.

"I thought I felt a presence behind us," Boone grumbled.

"What's going on? Why are you here?" Chloe asked, looking to the Nightkin.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I just wanted to spend more time with you! It's been forever it seems!"

"But I!"

"You know," Arcade said, stroking his chin and smiling at Lily. "If she tags along, it severely decreases our chance of getting attacked, especially by people."

"I can totally go for that right now," Raul grumbled. "I think I just sprained my back."

No one seemed to have any objections to this, so Chloe slowly nodded her head to comply. "Alright, come on, Grandma!"

"You have quite a team building up, Chloe," Arcade added as the group headed out once more. "It's not everyday you see an NCR 1st Recon Sharpshooter, Brotherhood Scribe, caravan driver, Nightkin, ex-Legion cyber-dog, Enclave Eyebot, gunslinger ghoul, and a Follower of the Apocalypse scientist tagging along with a Courier."

Chloe looked her friends over, smiling slightly. "I guess I do. Maybe my luck is finally starting to turn around."

"Don't say that so soon. We're not in the Strip yet," Cass said.

***********************************************************************************************************************

They arrived back to Freeside earlier than expected. It was early evening, and the group immediately settled in the Atomic Wrangler to rest, eat some food, and plan out their next steps. The looks on the residents' faces seeing Lily with them were priceless. Chloe swore one of the Kings looked like he was about to shit his pants. Arcade disbanded from the group to return to Mormon Fort, and wished them luck. Chloe hated to see the Follower go, but knew he had his own duties to return to.

While Raul, Veronica, and Boone watched Cass in awe as she downed a whole mug of whiskey like water, Chloe got Rex at her side and told ED-E to stay. She needed to return the cyber-dog to his real owner. Lily wasn't shy to tell her to be careful, and Chloe left with Rex to the King's School of Impersonation.

She found the King in his suite without the help of Pacer. The King's hospitality proved to be endearing as he let her sit down and got her a glass of wine. They discussed Rex while the King looked the German Shepherd over.

"He looks great. He's actin' much more like himself now," the King said, looking at the new brain.

"I know. I couldn't believe the difference."

"It's good to see him happy again. You've been good to me, Chloe. I thank you for it." The King took a folded piece of paper out from inside his white jacket and handed it over to her. "Show this to the Securitron at the Gate. This form shows that you and your group are NCR VIP guests for the Embassy. It's only a one time pass, but it was the best I could do."

"A one-time pass is all I need…hopefully," Chloe said, lowering her eyes. She looked the form over. "Thank you."

"What are you planning on doing with Benny?"

"I really don't know. I want revenge…but now I don't feel that as much."

The King studied her for a moment, slowly sitting down across from her on the opposite couch. "Whatever you do, baby, you be careful. Years as tribe leader has changed Benny. I don't know what he is plannin', but it bothers me why he would shoot you over an oversized poker chip. If ya want to kill him, I suggest that you really think it through. The Chairmen are all over the place, and they will protect him."

"What if I just talk to him? Or do you think he will kill me on the spot?" Chloe asked.

The King thought for a moment. "I highly doubt he will kill you on sight, but I would really think it over if he asks you to talk alone."

She nodded. "Alright. I guess it really is all up to Lady Luck on how it turns out in the end."

"Oh, don't talk like that, darlin'. I do want to see you again, you know."

She softly laughed. "I'll remember that. Are you ever going to tell me your real name?"

"How about I tell you when you come to me for a personal visit after your business in the Strip?" the King asked, a small smile twitching on his lips.

"I can go for that." Chloe then kneeled down to pet Rex, who whimpered and licked her face. She felt sad for handing Rex over so soon. The cyber-dog was filling the aching hole where Shadow had left in his passing. She loved the dog's companionship, but knew he belonged here with the King. "Well, Rex boy, you be good. Enjoy your new brain, alright?"

Rex barked, tail thumping on the floor, but he lifted his front paw to scratch at her knee and whined again. Chloe kissed the German Shepherd's nose, and then rose to her feet.

The King was on his feet now, and he took her hand to kiss it. "Good luck, Chloe."

She said farewell and left, heading downstairs to the main lobby of the School. She was greeted by many Kings as she made her way down. She had the unfortunate opportunity to run into Pacer near the entrance.

"Headin' to the Strip now, eh?" Pacer asked, folding his arms.

"Yes, is that alright with you?"

"I hear you're gonna go face Benny. I'm guessin' he's the one who shot ya in the head and that's why that bandage is on your face?"

Her patience was starting to wear. "Ya, so what? What's it to you?"

Pacer half-shrugged, but before he could say anything, barking erupted behind them. Chloe spun to see Rex trotting up to her while panting. The King wasn't far behind and joined them. He gave a suspicious glare to Pacer which made his right hand man's bitterness drop a lot. Pacer excused himself, leaving the King alone with Chloe in the lobby.

"He knows why I am going to the Strip. Did you tell him?" Chloe asked.

"No, I did not. He must've eavesdropped on us. This isn't like Pacer. I apologize for his behavior. I'm gonna have a talk with him as soon as you leave."

"Is he friends with Benny? Do you think he would have told Benny that I am on my way?"

The King chuckled out loud, shaking his head. "No, no. I highly doubt that."

She was curious. "Why?"

"Pacer was also in the same tribe as Benny and me. I was good friends with Benny's older half-brother Swank. We're about the same age, and Benny is about five years younger. Pacer isn't much younger than that. Pacer hates Benny, and has for many years. Benny used to torture Pacer when we were kids. Nothing personal, it was just how we were raised. Boys will be boys, ya know? Anyways, Pacer always hated that Benny could usually get away with anything because his father, Cash, was the tribe leader for the longest time until Bingo came along."

Chloe was grinning now. "Can I please use that if he is bitter towards me next time?"

The King dipped his head with a sly smile. "For all of his behavior lately, yes you may."

"Thanks! Well, I better be on my way."

"Wait. Take Rex with you."

She grunted. "What? Why?"

The King looked down to the cyber-dog, whose eyes were brightly on Chloe. "I think he has grown really attached to you. That, and I know it is unfair of me to keep him locked away with myself in this building. The trip to Jacobstown was the first time Rex got outside of Freeside in a long time. He is happy, and that's all I want for him. So take him. He's yours."

"I…don't know what to say…" Chloe mumbled. She was confused and surprised, staring at the King's genuine smile.

"How about a thank you, then?"

She giggled. "Alright. Thank you. But you didn't-"

He held up his hand to silence her. "It's alright. Good luck, darlin'."

The King turned and left for the theater on his own, not looking back. Chloe shook her hand, smiling. She knew her face was beet red as the King members gawked at her after watching their leader hand his dog over to her just like that.

Chloe and Rex left just as it was starting to get dark. They rendezvoused with the others at the Atomic Wrangler, and then headed down the district to the northern gate that would lead them into the Strip. There were several Securitrons posted around the Gate. There were a few on catwalks overlooking the street before them. There was one on either side of the Gate itself and then there was the Gate Keeper in the central.

"Halt there. Please subject to a credit check, or proceed to present a legitimate pass," the Gate Keeper Securitron stated seriously.

All of these Securitrons looked exactly like Victor only instead of having a cartoon cowboy head on their screen, it was a cartoon head of a grumpy police officer. Chloe immediately held out the form. The Securitron grabbed it and scanned it, only to hand it right back over when he was done.

"You all may pass. Please enjoy your stay in New Vegas!"

Chloe was relieved to hear those words, and they headed through the gate into the Strip. At first, the Strip bedazzled her. It was nothing like New Reno. The neon lights from the casinos that were now turning on from the darkening evening lit up the streets on their own. The towering Lucky 38 casino had a bright white light beaming at the very tip of its structure. The same light could be seen for miles across the Mojave Wasteland in itself. A beacon of hope to some, a beacon of sin to others.

The streets were busy with mostly travelers and NCR soldiers. Many of the soldiers were drunk and staggering about hollering odd things. The casino Gomorrah to their right had two huge black metal silhouettes of women with their back against the casino's sign with one slender leg up, mirroring each other and outlined in white neon. There was fire burning brightly across the top strip of the Gomorrah sign, controlled and contained but looking wild from the street to attract customers. There were hookers dancing and calling out along the edge of the street outside Gomorrah.

Chloe and her group walked slowly to take it all in. The Strip was filled with noise from people and Securitrons, to the old Pre-War music that flooded out from every single casino. Chloe felt like her head was spinning from all the neon colors. She saw the Tops Hotel and Casino coming up down a ways, and her heart skipped a beat knowing that Benny lied just ahead.

"Alright, I think I just lost what little eyesight I had left from all these bright lights," Raul complained. The ghoul rubbed his eyes.

"This is the coolest place ever! I don't think I'm ever leaving!" Veronica exclaimed.

"I wonder which place has the best drinks?" Cass asked, looking around.

"This place looks too dangerous for you, sweetie!" Lily called.

"Have you guys forgotten that we are here to help Chloe?" Boone grumbled. "Don't go running off on your own."

"Who made you boss?" Cass rounded, putting a hand on her hip.

"Alright, calm down. I don't care what anyone does. My business is with Benny at the Tops. You guys can go anywhere but there! I don't want anyone getting hurt in case it gets ugly in there!"

"Well howdy, pardner!"

Chloe leaped out of her skin, spinning around. She was surprised to be looking right at Victor with his smiling little cartoon cowboy face.

"Victor! What's up?"

"Ain't this funny? I was just about to leave the Strip to go hunt you down. Mr. House is asking for you personally!"

Chloe grunted, looking to the others who looked just as taken aback. "The Mr. House wants to see me? Why?"

"He sure does! Well, he knows all about your little run-in with Mr. Fancy Pants while you were carrying his Platinum Chip. He wants to give you an intriguing proposition! This way please!"

Chloe looked to the Tops one last time, heaving a sigh, before following the rolling Securitron with her friends. They entered into the Lucky 38 casino, the first visitors to step foot into the building since before the Great War. Needless to say, there were many people watching in shock. The Lucky 38 was Mr. House's fortress, and Victor explained that Mr. House's penthouse was up on the top floor overlooking the entire Strip.

Victor took them onto the elevator and went to the Presidential Suite floor. The suite was huge and luxurious, furnished and ready to go almost like new. Victor faced them after they had looked around all the bedrooms, kitchen, game room, and restrooms.

"This is where you will be staying. Mr. House had it fixed right up for you, and it is plenty big for all your friends. As long as you are working for him, he says that you and your friends can stay here free of charge, and that includes food, room service, and a little bonus to go have some fun on the Strip!" Victor explained.

"I'm unpacking right now!" Veronica yelled excitedly, taking off for one of the bedrooms.

"Oh this is very nice! Shut up Leo!" Lily said, walking along to check it out further.

"I could really go for a nap right now," Raul sighed, following after her.

"Is there a bar?" Cass asked.

"In the kitchen and dining area!" Victor replied happily.

"I'm gone!" Cass headed for the kitchen.

Rex sniffed around curiously. ED-E wasn't far behind him, beeping mildly and twitching its antennae. Chloe looked to Boone, who looked unsure about the whole setup, but decided to go ahead and settle his things down.

"I guess I could unpack too. Then we can all go see Mr. House," Chloe stated.

"Not so fast, pardner! Mr. House only wants to speak to you alone up in his penthouse! Your friends are welcome to stay here, but he wishes to speak to you now!" Victor informed, motioning for the elevator again.

Boone nodded at her. "Go. I'll watch your dog and robot."

She smiled. "Thanks, Boone. Don't let Cass get too drunk either. I might need her later."

"Wish me luck on that one," he snorted, heading off to his own room.

Chloe sat her courier bag and other supplies down against the wall by the elevator. She kept her guns on her only for the fact that she was unsure about Mr. House or how this was going to turn out. She let Victor take her up to the penthouse.

When the elevator doors flew open and she stepped out with Victor, she hardly had a chance to look around at the fancy, upper balcony of the circular styled penthouse before another Securitron was rolling up, this one with a cartoon face of a beautiful show lady.

"Greetings, sugar! I am Jane, one of Mr. House's gals. He is waiting for you just downstairs in his office."

Her voice was way too pleasant for Chloe's tastes, but the courier simply nodded and smiled. The Securitron motioned for the nearest staircase that wrapped around the upper balcony. She glanced back to Victor, who had remained near the elevator entrance.

"You'll be fine, pardner! I will wait for you right here!"

Chloe slowly took the stairs down, feeling a sense of nervousness come over her. She was about to meet a man who had become a legend across the U.S since even before the Great War. She couldn't believe that the original Robert House was still alive after two hundred years, but she couldn't ignore the facts around her, especially with the Securitrons. These models of security robots were RobCo issue as with the high majority of all robots and highly advanced computers. Robert House was the founder, CEO, and President of the company himself.

_He has to be a ghoul…or something is fishy…_

The penthouse was the cleanest floor of the Lucky 38 so far. There were many Securitrons posted in various areas as well. Chloe hit the lower floor of the penthouse and headed for one of the doorways that had a drape handing in the threshold. She took a gander to the massive windows that went around the penthouse in a way to cause a complete observation of the Strip many stories below.

She moved through the drape, entering into a small, elegant room with the same large glass windows in the back. What immediately caught her eyes was the huge monitor screen and computer sitting in the center, in front a cement structure with the glass windows a few meters behind it. There was a picture of a man on the monitor. He was handsome, looking to be in his mid-forties wearing a suit. He had slicked back black hair and a thin mustache. The picture was in black and white, and Chloe knew right off the back it was just an old photo of the original Robert Edwin House.

"Ahh, it is finally a pleasure to meet you, Miss Maye."

She should have known she wasn't going to meet anyone face to face. "How do you know my name?"

"Well, I hired you didn't I? You and six other couriers to deliver to me. However, you are the only one that wasn't carrying mindless junk." The photo on screen seemed to pierce into her very soul. His voice was velvety, charismatic, and Chloe could tell by the tone of the voice that whoever she was speaking to was highly intelligent.

"The Platinum Chip? What is it? It just looked like an oversized poker chip to me."

House chuckled softly. "Of course it would to any ordinary wasteland wanderer. But I am entitled not to tell you what it is exactly at the moment. I have a proposition for you first, Chloe."

She shook her head. "Not so fast. I'm just a bit confused. You look nothing more but a computer to me. There is no way the real Robert House could be living after two hundred years unless you are in fact just a computer running off his neurological scan on a high-tech matrix, or unless you are a ghoul or Super Mutant hiding out somewhere. But your voice sounds like neither of those."

"I am impressed, Miss Maye. You are very intelligent for someone your age. But I assure you that I am the original Robert Edwin House. I am the founder, CEO, and President of the RobCo Industries. It was the largest robotic and computer corporation before the Great War. Now I am the President, CEO, and sole proprietor of the New Vegas Strip. The Three Families are my employees. I helped domesticate them from their tribal days. My knowledge of the science of healthy longevity could fill many textbooks, so I am not about to go into details, but I am very much blood and flesh, not silicon."

Chloe could tell he was telling the truth, but it did nothing to settle the uneasiness within her. There was something about Mr. House that she did not like, but could not put her finger on. She hoped the more she talked to him, the more it would go away.

"How did you take over New Vegas?"

"Perhaps we could go into further detail if you take up my proposition. But for now, suffice it to say that I used my Securitrons to domesticate the tribals and renovate the Strip just as the NCR was marching into the region. They took Hoover Dam from the Brotherhood of Steel; I had yet to have time to take it over myself. When the NCR reached New Vegas, there was no war between us, but a treaty was signed. That is when the money started to pour in."

She sighed. "Alright, so what is this proposition you have for me?"

"Good, finally we can cut to the chase," House stated, sounding relieved. His picture on the monitor screen did nothing but stare at Chloe with a serious expression. "First off, I am sorry about your ordeal in Goodsprings. You are probably going to ask me if the Platinum Chip is so important why did I get a harmless courier to deliver it instead of an armed mercenary squad?"

Chloe nodded.

"I wanted to be as subtle as possible. An armed force would have just told everyone that it was important. Unfortunately, the threat was closer to home than I expected."

"You mean Benny?" Chloe asked.

"Yes. It really quite unsettles me for his betrayal. I taught him so much about the history of New Vegas, the ways of business and proprietorship. He's one of the few tribals who actually uses his brain, so to say. But apparently he is much smarter than what I give him credit for. And to think I was going to name him my heir."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Chloe said.

"And I am sorry to hear that he tried to kill you over the Platinum Chip and nearly succeeded. I don't mean to sound cold, but it is strictly business. And that is how Benny probably sees it as well. I know what he is planning in a sense. He wants to take over the Strip himself and let the Chairmen rule. It's all in the manner of making sure that his family is endowed with the absolute best."

"So why don't you just send your Securitrons in the Tops and arrest him and get the Platinum Chip back?" Chloe asked.

"Frontal assault on a casino? Not very good for business. Besides, Benny would see it coming, and all he would have to do is hold the Chip up and put a pistol to it. Our foremost advantage is that he doesn't know that I know that he has it. Let's not squander it. He also doesn't know that you are still alive, which brings you into this little game of ours."

"Let me guess, you want me to go in there and get the Chip for you?" Chloe inquired, slightly smiling despite the situation.

"Correct. Fulfill your contract for the delivery of the Platinum Chip to me, and I will double the sum that you were originally going to get. Do that, and good things will come your way. You can live here at the Lucky 38 for no charge, including food, services and all. And if you decide to help me further in my plans for the Strip and Hoover Dam, then I can assure you I will reward you dearly to where you won't have to worry about anything ever again."

"So how do I get to Benny? And what am I supposed to do with him?"

"His fate is for you to decide. All I want is the Platinum Chip. Benny shot you in the head, I think you deserve to decide what needs to be done with him. It will be difficult however. He is always surrounded by at least four bodyguards unless he is in his private suite."

"If the Chairmen are your employees, aren't they supposed to follow orders?"

"They do for the most part. But as with any of the Three Families, they are under a…tribal affinity. They will protect and listen to Benny foremost over me seeing as he is tribe leader…no matter how grateful they are to me for giving them this lifestyle. And like I said before, I cannot send a Securitron into any of the casinos unless invited by the Three Families by direct terms of the contract. The only time my Securitrons are allowed in there otherwise is if any other extraordinary circumstances arise."

Chloe grew quiet, thinking hard. House remained silent after his last words to give her time to think. After a long moment of silence, the overseer of the Strip decided to speak again.

"So, do you agree to this proposition?"

"Alright, I'll do it. Hopefully, I won't get killed over it."

"If you manage to meet Benny in the public eye, you might be able to pressure him into thinking he is being found out and will agree to meet you in private. But as an added threat, I suggest that you tell him that if he tries to kill you that I will kill him and get the Platinum Chip back seeing as you are working under my auspices. That may help dissuade him from trying to kill you again. And be sure to remember that none of the casinos allow any weapons inside. I also suggest that you think clever and hide some holdout weapons where security will not notice them."

"Uhh, thanks, I guess."

"Also, just be sure to watch yourself with any of the Three Families. The Omertas are a brutal bunch, the ones least domesticated and likely to cause trouble. The White Gloves and Chairman have come a long way from their tribal days, but don't forget that they can turn right back if trouble arises."

"Got it."

"Benny is very intelligent, so be vigilant. He isn't called the Fox for no reason. It was a pleasure talking to you, Miss Maye. I shall await your return with the Platinum Chip with great pleasure," Mr. House said, and then the monitor on the screen went blank.

Sighing, Chloe left the monitor screen and computer terminals to head back upstairs to the elevator. Victor escorted her a few floors down to the Presidential Suite with her friends. A few of them had settled down, seeing as it was getting late into the evening. Their long trip from Jacobstown had tired them out, and figured that a nice long nap would do them more good than gambling at the casinos outside.

Cass told her that Veronica had vamoosed to the Tops to use that card that Benny gave her for a free drink and a free pass to the Aces Theater. Chloe rolled her eyes, twitching a smile. Lily and Raul were already snoring away. Rex and ED-E had been waiting for Chloe and came over as soon as she had stepped out of the elevator. This left only Cass and Boone, who were sitting in the game room at the other end of the suite. Boone was cleaning his rifle while Cass was still drinking and watching him.

"So how did your little talk go with the top dog?" Cass asked.

"Odd."

"Is he a ghoul or someone totally different?" Boone asked.

"Neither, he's the real Mr. House. However, as much as he told me about his knowledge of longevity and that he was flesh and blood, I only talked to a monitor screen that showed a picture of him. I believe his words to an extent…I believe he is the real Robert House…there is just something fishy about it all though. There's something I don't like about him."

"Alright, well, let's spend the night and then head out. Fuck him," Cass snorted.

"I already agreed to his proposition…but only to figure out what he's really up to. I want to know what's going on here…and I think Benny can help."

Cass and Boone gawked at her. "You mean you aren't going to kill that bastard?" Cass grumbled. "He shot you in the head for fuck's sake!"

"I still don't know what I am going to do when I go and meet up with him…I'm just saying that if I can get Benny to talk, then I might be able to understand House a little more."

"Why do you care?" Boone asked.

Chloe had no idea why she cared. It seemed simple enough to just go in, get her revenge on Benny and then leave the Strip forever. She knew that if she really started to go along with Mr. House that she would be clashing with several factions. It was something she didn't particularly want to do, but she felt that she had to do it. She just hoped there was a reason behind all of this.

"I don't know."

"Alright, fine. We'll go with you to the Tops," Cass sighed, getting to her feet.

Boone had got to his feet as well, just finishing cleaning his rifle, but left the room to probably put the rifle and supplies up. Cass and Chloe watched him go, Rex cocking his head curiously while ED-E floated around the room.

"No, this is something I need to do on my own."

"What will you do about protection then?" Cass asked.

"I will be fine by myself. I will leave ED-E and Rex here with the others. How about you and Boone go to Gomorrah or something? Have some fun?"

"Does he even know how to have fun?" Cass asked, shaking her head.

"I'll buy you a huge bottle of your favorite whiskey!"

"Deal!"

Cass slipped by Chloe. The courier chuckled, following her friend out and watched as she dragged Boone out of the bedroom to head for the casino. Boone was glaring daggers at Chloe and Cass.

"You two have fun!"

The two got into the elevator and went down to the floor level. Chloe turned to Rex and ED-E. "You two stay here and guard our stuff alright? Don't wake up Lily or Raul! I will be back later!"

Rex whined, laying down right where he was. ED-E beeped a few times in a fast manner, as if it was annoyed. Its antennae twitched a bit, but then the Eyebot started to float off. Chloe grabbed her stuff and went to her room. Rex followed her in, jumping up onto the bed to lie down. The courier took off all of her weapons, but made sure to strap a knife to her right ankle, as well as a tiny, one shot peashooter pistol that she slipped into her bra. It wasn't much, but she didn't have many weapons that she could slip through security. Chloe was good with a knife, and she would rely more on that than the tiny pistol on her.

She then left the Presidential Suite and the Lucky 38 resort to be back on the main street to the Strip. She took a moment to gather her thoughts outside in the cool air. The stars were blinded out by the city lights and flashing neon, and Chloe forgot her Pip-Boy so she couldn't check the time. She knew it was getting late, and just hoped that Benny would still be hanging around in the Tops where she could find him.

She slowed to a stop in front of the Tops Hotel and Casino, looking up at the white building with its own bright neon lights of yellow and red flashing. The hotel part was in the back, and she saw several floors towering up into the sky. Across the street, the very large black building of the Ultra-Luxe was lit up with gold lights that bathed their front lawn. Down into the next district of the Strip, Chloe could see the NCR Embassy on the left side, Michelangelo's Shop on the far right, as well as the Vault 21 Hotel on the right, close to the back of the Tops building.

_Well…this is it…I finally get to see Benny face to face…_

Her thought made her lightly feel her bandage on her head. The bandage only needed to stay on for a few more days. Below it, the bullet wound was almost healed. The bruising was gone, and all that would remain would be an awkward scar across her hairline and forehead, luckily covered mostly by her bangs. With a deep breath, she stepped forward to push the front entrance to the Tops open and entered without any hesitation.


	9. The Fox

### Chapter 8: The Fox

Chloe's entrance into the Tops definitively didn't go unnoticed. She saw many men in matching formal grey suits. A few stood by the entrance, and a couple leaned behind the front desk. As she walked over to the front desk, she felt their eyes on her. The music that was playing was old 50's classic, mostly Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the rest of the Rat Pack. She only recognized it because her father had loved the same Pre-War music. She heard gambling and laughing going on. The chatter bounced off the walls and she could see the casino was quite packed. After the almost haunted air in the Lucky 38's casino, this place was a relief. The Tops had a warm feeling to it, and the Chairmen made sure to greet her with friendly words. Though a couple of the Chairmen were overly friendly with their cat calls and pick up lines.

_Oh boy…_

They all talked like Benny had when she talked to him before he knocked her out and she awoke to him shooting her in the head. The old slang had a charismatic, cool feel to it, and Chloe couldn't help but to smile at the handsome men. She also noticed that every single one of them were armed with a holstered gun.

The man before her at the front desk was writing something down on a notepad. He was handsome, maybe in his early thirties wearing a similar styled suit as the other Chairmen. His dark hair was slicked back and he had warm hazel eyes. He looked up at her, smiling but it only seemed to broaden as he looked her over.

"Hello, baby! Welcome to the Tops! What can I do for you?"

Chloe was taken aback by the intensity he put on the word "baby", but his smile almost made her melt, and for a moment she lost her thoughts.

"Uh, hello. Who are you?"

He smirked. "Baby, I'm the best thing that ever happened to you. Name's Swank! This here's my joint."

So she happened to stumble upon Swank so easily. Chloe remembered that Swank was Benny's older half-brother and right hand man. The King had been good friends with him. She could see the similarity between him and Benny as well.

"I thought Benny ran this place?" she asked. "I'm Chloe by the way."

"Benny overlooks the business, sure," Swank nodded. "But I run the Tops day to day. I'm his right hand guy, ya dig?"

She decided to not jump right on the gun of asking where Benny was to prevent any kind of suspicion. So, Chloe smiled and nodded, leaning on the front counter.

"This is a very nice place here. Tell me about it."

"Sure, baby, sure. You want the nickel tour, 'ol Swank's happy to oblige," he answered, eyes glued to her. "We have everything you could ever want, slot machines in the back, cards and roulette in the front, fine entertainment upstairs in the Aces Theater. All with your security personally guaranteed by the Chairmen and Mr. House's own Securitron police. It's the tops!"

"I'm new here to the Strip. Can you give me the rundown on it?" Chloe asked, trying to relax.

"Baby, I'll tell ya anything you want all night long," Swank chuckled. "We got the White Glove Society across from us in the Ultra-Luxe…creepy bunch of cats if ya ask me. Sure they act all polite and civilized, but there is something off about them, dig? Don't get me wrong, that resort of theirs is ring-a-ding, but my gut tells me…don't go in the basement. And then we have the Omertas over at Gomorrah. They're a shifty pack of rats. If I were you, I'd keep one hand on my wallet and the other on my gun whenever they're around. Mr. House runs things here and is a pretty cool cat. Sure he keeps a tight grip on the reins, but Vegas is a wild horse and you just can't give her her head. It's because of him that the Three Families are no longer fighting for survival out in the Wasteland. And then there's the Chairmen. Baby, we're only the coolest cats on the Strip. We've been here the longest, got the swankiest digs, and we have caps rolling in like the tide. Everyone love the Chairmen, because we show 'em a simple good time, no strings attached."

"I'll keep that in mind," Chloe stated, smiling.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, baby doll? Please tell me that there is," he said.

"Actually, yes. I need to talk to Benny. Do you know where I can find him?"

Swank's smile fell slightly. "Baby, please tell me ya ain't here for any jobs for the Aces Theater. You stick with me, you won't have to work a day in your life. You just sit there and look pretty for me."

_Boy, what a charmer!_

She knew her cheeks were red. "Ah, no, no. It's nothing like that."

Swank pointed over to the section of the casino that held the roulette and card tables. "He should be in that area going over some papers. Can't miss him!"

"Thank you. It was very nice talking to you, Swank."

"Don't be a stranger, doll," he said, watching her go. His expression looked as though it hurt him to see her go.

She was blown away by the decorations in the casino as she came forth to the next area. She tried not to let herself get distracted, but the casino was truly one of the best looking buildings she had been inside in a long time. It was like she was standing right inside a casino straight out from the Pre-War days with no signs of any destruction. The area with all the cards had a few steps leading down to it, with a walk-way area wrapping around the perimeter on the level floor. There were many people here, even as late as it was. The Chairmen weren't shy as she walked past.

Her heart leaped when she spotted Benny flipping through some papers while talking to an older Chairmen in the back. It was hard to miss that black and white checkered jacket. There were four Chairmen bodyguards around them. She hoped that the bodyguards were just as pleasant as the other Chairmen as she slowly made her way around the walkway to the back of the room. She made sure she went around the way that Benny's back was facing so he wouldn't see her coming and recognize her.

The two nearest bodyguards closest to her when she was nearing Benny's back stopped her. Chloe's heart was beating so fast, she feared it would burst from her chest. She did her best to look calm and innocent. The bodyguards weren't suspicious, but wouldn't let her closer until Benny was done talking.

"Chief, ya got a broad here to see ya!" One of the bodyguards called.

Benny handed the papers back over to the older man and nodded. The Chairmen left the area to go back to his own business. Benny rubbed his palms together, grinning like a coyote as he turned around to face her.

"What can the Ben-Man do for-what in the goddamn?" He was definitely surprised to see her there, like he was seeing a ghost. He blinked a few times, and then his composure cooled. He held up a hand, smiling softly. "Let's keep this in the groove, hey? Smooth moves. Smooth…like smooth little babies."

She didn't have a chance to speak before he snapped his fingers. The bodyguards aimed their weapons at her. Chloe felt as though she had stepped on fire. She did not let him see her falter, and glared at him.

"Hello!" Benny exclaimed. "That broad everyone saw go in the Lucky 38! That was you? Oh, shit!"

"It seems you need to work on your marksmanship," Chloe stated coolly.

Benny glared at her. "I hit what I was aiming for, guess you had brains to spare. Or are you just thick-skulled? Either way, baby, this is good news! Maybe I can finally sleep at night, knowing that you didn't die."

_I can tell that you've been sleeping just fine you fox…_

"Let's say you and me cash out? Go somewheres more private-like? Any questions you got, I'll answer."

"Give me one good reason not to kill you," Chloe stated, keeping her tone even.

"You want a reason?" Benny scoffed. "How 'bout four? They're called bodyguards and every one of them is packing as you can already see, including me, so baby makes five! Add to that, every Chairmen in this joint is armed, and not with some hold-out peashooter like maybe you smuggled through security. Anyhow baby, you didn't come here for vengeance. You came to get clued in. Like I said, we should be talking somewhere private."

"Can't talk right here?" she questioned, knowing it would be a bad idea to leave the public's eye and meet with him alone.

"Honey, this is my turf, my place of business, I call the shots," he quipped. "That's a no go. Try again."

"Fine. Lead the way," she said, her stomach turning. "Let's talk."

Benny smirked down at her. He motioned for the bodyguards to lower their weapons. "Relax cats! She's with me! C'mon baby cakes, follow the Ben-Man!"

Benny turned around and headed off. The bodyguards glared at her suspiciously now, but broke off. Chloe slowly followed after the Chairmen leader. She tried to keep calm as they walked together, heading for the back of the casino where the elevators were located. Chloe felt her pulse rise, knowing how easily this could turn out bad.

_Not good, not good…keep calm…you can do this, Chloe!_

"Baby, you look as pale as a ghost…no pun intended," Benny chuckled.

"I'm just trying to figure out why I am walking with you."

"Ain't that a kick in the head? How 'bout I apologize? Will that help?"

"It's a start," she sighed, glaring up at him.

"Sorry, pussycat…for being such a fink. Maybe I can make it up to ya?"

She didn't have a chance to reply before one of the Chairmen hollered at their backs. Chloe and Benny stopped not far from the elevators, turning around. Chloe saw Swank walking up with another Chairman at his side. The younger, lighter haired Chairmen had been the other behind the front desk with Swank earlier.

"Swank? Martin? What's up? Can't ya see I'm busy with a lovely gal?" Benny grumbled.

"Cachino's outside. He wants to speak to you," Swank stated, his eyes falling to Chloe.

"Something to do with the meeting tomorrow in the Monorail Building," Martin added.

"Ah, jeez," Benny sighed. "Tell him I'm busy. Take a message, Swanky. You'll be takin' my place tomorrow at the meeting anyway."

"But-"

"Not listening!" Benny interrupted, grabbing Chloe's waist and dragging her along. "C'mon baby!"

Swank watched as his brother took Chloe onto the elevator and they headed to the thirteenth floor to his suite. He had glared at his brother's back. He glanced to Martin, who was scratching his head in confusion.

"Did I miss something? Is that his broad?"

"Is it just me, or did she look afraid?" Swank asked, glaring at the elevator doors. "And when did he decide to just suddenly drop this meeting that House has had planned for weeks?"

"She did seem nervous. Wonder what's up," Martin agreed.

"Go talk to Cachino. And make sure you take Dean and Louis with you!" Swank ordered, heading for the elevator.

"Hey! What're ya doing?"

"Benny's been actin' strange ever since he got back…that gal has something to do with it, dig?" Swank grumbled, pushing the button to recall the elevator. "I'm gonna get to the bottom of this."

********************************************************************************************************************************

Gomorrah was the rowdiest, dirtiest place on the Strip. The drinks and food were cheap, and so were the hookers. Boone and Cass had got a table with some drinks, watching as gamblers threw their money away or tried to hook up with the many men and women prostitutes running around the place. Smoke from cigars and cigarettes filmed the rooms in grimy clouds. It was hard to hear over the laughter, the music, and all the commotion of gambling and partying.

"Wow, this is scum central! I kinda like it!" Cass chuckled.

"Do you have any standards? Why are we here?" Boone growled.

"To relax! Do you know how to do that?"

"What does this have to do with us helping Chloe?"

"She told us to go have fun! That's helping her! Look, would it be easier just to tell you that she sent us here to spy on the Omertas?" Cass sighed.

Boone didn't say anything, finally grabbing his drink to take a gulp. Cass smiled, nodding at him. Cass had got them plenty of drinks, and she was pouring her second large glass of whiskey now.

"Why are you with Chloe?" Boone asked.

Cass frowned, lowering her glass. "Because she's a friend."

"What made you come along with her?"

"Well…I knew she was different…from all the other fuckups in this world. She had a heart and offered me a place to go after my caravan was sold to Crimson Caravan. I didn't want to go home to California with my tail between my legs because of what happened to my father's company…and she knew that. In a way, I'm very grateful." Cass then grinned. "Besides, she knows how to get into a shit-load of trouble! And that's always fun!"

The NCR sniper lowered his eyes, looking somewhere else for a moment as he seemed to be in deep thought. Cass watched him as she took another swig of her whiskey. She just didn't get Boone. She used to think that all men were the same, and hated them, but there was something different about Boone.

"So, why did you come along with Chloe? You didn't have to after she helped you with that Jeannie May woman."

Boone weakly laughed, surprising her. "You're right. I didn't."

"So why did you?"

"I knew she had the same twisted vendetta against the Legion that I did. I could feel it. I didn't quite understand what, until she told us the whole story back in Jacobstown."

Cass frowned. "Yeah, poor girl. What a way to lose your family."

"I think she can help with what I need. And I can help her."

"Boone, what are you not telling us? You're hiding something about your wife, and about what happened with the Legion. Tell me."

"No chance," he stated evenly. "At least not yet…definitely not here in this hellhole."

Cass twitched a smile, holding up her glass. "Cheers?"

Boone held up his, the faintest smile on his lips. "Cheers."

They dinged their glasses and downed the contents. Cass was filling her third glass when a man stumbled over to their table, clearly drunk. He looked to be a mercenary at first, but closer inspection showed that he was actually a Viper gang member.

"Hey baby! Why are ya with this prick for? He's so boring! Come have a good time with me!"

"How about you get lost before I fuck up your already fucked up face?" Cass snapped.

"Oh, someone's in a bitchy mood! I can loosen you up, baby!"

"She said fuck off," Boone growled.

"You fuck off , bear flag boy!"

Cass held up her hand before Boone could jump to his feet. He watched her, and the drunk Viper gawked as Cass downed her third glass of whiskey, still using her hand to tell Boone to hold on a moment. She gasped, slapping the glass down on the table, and just like that she slammed her fist into the man's face hard.

He yelped, crashing backwards to the floor. They saw his nose busted and pouring blood while he cried. They then saw a group of his Viper buddies jumping up from their tables to storm their way.

"Is Trouble your middle name?" Boone growled, getting to his feet.

"Maybe!" Cass smirked.

"You do know that we are going to either get killed or thrown in jail for this?"

"Well let's hope that we get thrown in jail, that way Chloe can bail us out!"

"Us?" Boone hissed. "You started this mess by punching that guy!"

"He was fucking annoying the shit outta me! Besides, you almost did it yourself before I stopped you!"

There was no time to rely on security. Boone and Cass stuck together to tag team against the small group of Vipers.

********************************************************************************************************************************

When they came to Benny's suite on the thirteenth floor, Chloe hesitated, watching as Benny opened up one of the double doors and offered to hold it for her. He motioned for her to enter inside, his expression hardly readable. Chloe made sure not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her uncertain, so stepped forward, walking right past him into the suite without faltering. Her body was tense, and she was ready to spring into action if Benny decided to attack her.

She only gave a mild glance to the living room and kitchenette area before turning around to keep her focus on the man who shot her in the head. Benny had already withdrew the very same handgun that he shot her with, and was now aiming it at her head once more. She wasn't surprised at his action, and so did not move.

Benny shut the door and locked it behind him. He walked a few steps towards her, gun still aimed at her face. He seemed to study her for a long moment, as if trying to figure out her motives.

"Baby, you might not believe this, but it hurt to shoot that beautiful face of yours. Please don't make me do it again."

She glared at him. "Did you have to the first time?"

"Why are you here? Why would you be foolish enough to track me down? And please don't say revenge, honey, because that ain't what's written on your face."

Chloe knew exactly what he was trying to do. This was a game. Benny was smarter than he looked, and so she knew she needed to tread carefully. The Chairmen leader was testing her.

"Downstairs you seemed so sure that I wanted clued in," she answered calmly.

"And what makes ya think I shouldn't kill you this time and make sure you stay dead, hey?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

Benny chuckled. His smirk, although handsome, was wicked. "You think I don't know that House is onto me? Is that what he told you when he brought you into the Lucky 38? That I had no idea he knew I had the Platinum Chip? Then he's more foolish than I thought. He didn't think I could put two and two together when he suddenly let someone like you enter the Lucky 38 after two hundred years coincidentally after I stole the Platinum Chip?"

_Either House forgot to take in mind my red carpet arrival into the Lucky 38 would spread like wildfire along the Strip and alert Benny or he purposely told me that Benny wouldn't know when he knew well that he did…_

"You got me," Chloe sighed. "I work for him. If you kill me, House will use his Securitrons to march in here and kill you and take the Chip back."

"And you're here for the Platinum Chip," Benny stated, slowly shaking his head and smiling. "Well, ain't this platinum?"

"So are you going to lower that gun so we can talk one on one, or is this going to be more of an interrogation?" Chloe asked, folding her arms.

Benny sighed, using the gun to motion her over to the kitchen counter. "I like to see what ya have on you first, baby."

Chloe hesitated this time. She slowly stepped over to the counter, wondering if she should really be giving up her holdout weapons. Slowly, she bent down to take the dagger hidden on her ankle, eyes still on Benny. She then reached into her bra, watching as Benny smirked as she pulled out the small gun and sat it on the counter as well.

"That's all I got."

"I was hoping for a better show than that, pussycat," he snickered.

"What, you gonna frisk me?" Chloe grumbled.

That smirk broadened, his dark eyes glinting dangerously. "Don't tempt me, honey baby." He motioned for her to take a seat on the nearby sofa away from the counter.

She rolled her eyes, moving over to the sofa and sitting down. She made sure to watch his every move, and felt much tension leave her body when she saw him sit his own pistol down on the counter next to her weapons. He moved around behind it into the kitchen, studying her curiously with a mild smile.

"Drink, baby?"

"As long as I can watch you pour it."

He chuckled. "Smart gal!"

Benny brought two glasses and a bottle of red wine over to where she was sitting. He sat the glasses on the table and poured them some before sitting on the couch opposite of her. He sat farther from the counter than she did. Chloe wondered why he would sit farther from the weapons unless he was still armed or had complete confidence in himself. Probably both.

There was a long moment of silence. Chloe made sure not to take a drink of her wine until she saw Benny drink his first. Finally, to break the silence of them studying each other, the Chairmen leader pointed to her bandage.

"How's it look? You're one lucky broad!"

"It's a nasty scar, but at least I still have a head."

Benny frowned, leaning back on the sofa. "It might not do me much good, but I do apologize, baby. It's only business."

"Business huh? And you just couldn't steal it from me and leave me alive?"

"I didn't wanna have any chances that House would find out. Apparently, he knew all along," Benny growled. "Anyhow, pussycat, I would've rather it been some loser fink than a beautiful angel like yourself."

"What are you planning?" Chloe inquired.

"Surely House already knows that," Benny snorted, arms up on the couch and one leg crossed.

"He does for the most part. I just want to hear your side of the story."

This caught his attention. Benny peered at her curiously. "Why's that, honey baby?"

"I don't really want to be caught up in the middle of this, but something tells me I have to. So, I might as well get the full story on both sides to better figure out what I am going to do. Besides, House came off as a little…creepy."

"Let me guess, you just talked to a computer screen with an old photo of the original Robert House showing."

Chloe was surprised. "Yeah. How did you-"

"He taught me a lot of things. That was how he presented himself to me many times with one of his Securitrons, dig? Or if he is calling the Three Families together for a meeting, that is how he presents himself. Ain't no one seen his true face, not even the Families."

"By how he explained his ability to still be alive, and the knowledge he knows of the past, I believe that he is indeed the real Robert House. But it is that fact alone that bothers me," Chloe sighed. She kept wanting to relax now that they were talking, but reminded herself that there was no telling what Benny could do.

"Well, I will give it to ya straight, doll," Benny said, leaning forward. "Broader strokes? Change in management. House sees us as chess pieces in his little game for economic reconstruction, dig? He doesn't care about us. Eventually, he'll get rid of us."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's all a part of his big picture. It's pretty simple if ya think about it. Now, we may not be tribals anymore but we are still a tribe, ya dig? We still act according to code on some things. Old habits die hard, ya know? As head of the family, it's my responsibility to preserve and protect it. And that includes wiping out the competition."

"You mean the White Glove Society and the Omertas?"

"Exactly," Benny said, nodding. "Even before Mr. House came along my tribe and the Omertas had been enemies. They're nothing but a pack of dirty rats. I guarantee you that they have something nasty planned on their own. They always playin' an angle, mark my words. Now, I don't know much about the White Gloves, but there is a such thing as being too polite. I know from experience to trust my gut, and they give me the heebie-jeebies."

"But Mr. House has done so much for you and your family," Chloe said. She wondered if she should inform Benny that House had planned on naming him his heir, but then decided against it.

"I never said I didn't appreciate him, dig?" Benny sighed, rubbing his palms together. "But just think about it. Bombs dropped two hundred years ago, but he still thinks he can rule Vegas forever? And only present himself rarely as only a picture on screen? Do you buy that? That ain't leadership, not by my standards."

Benny did make a valid point. Chloe breathed deep, running her hand through her hair for a moment. "So what makes the Chairmen better than anyone else to run the Strip?"

"Because we are the only ones with the charisma and principles to do it, baby. The heart, the savoir-faire. Would you rather the Omertas ran the place? Besides, like I said before. This is my way of makin' sure my family is forever taken care of. I ain't about to let them get dumped back out there on their asses again, not on my watch."

There was something that Benny wasn't telling her, which didn't surprise her. It was a given. However, Chloe understood the basis of his plan, and it did no good in helping her decide what she was going to do.

"Before we go further into our little discussion, baby, fill me in on what happened after I shot you. How did you make it?"

"One of House's Securitrons dug me up and a doctor in Goodsprings saved my life. Gave me the bullet as a good luck charm too."

"Charming. And the old cat's been keepin' an eye on me closer than I thought. So, what happened after you became vertical? How'd ya track me down?"

Chloe grinned at him, despite the situation. She dug into her pocket, pulling out his Zippo lighter and tossing it to him. Benny caught it, looking at it with interest. "You left a trail. And your jacket gives you away. Jessup wanted me to shove that up your ass when I met up with you, but I will pass."

Benny pocketed his lighter, his eyes landing on her again. "You're aren't really a courier, are you?"

"I used to be a mercenary," she said. "You underestimated me. It's fine, it's happened before."

"A barn burner such as yourself? Baby, that's impressive!"

"So, are you going to hand the Platinum Chip over?" Chloe asked.

Benny snickered. "You're chip outta luck, pussycat. The Chip is stayin' with me."

She rolled her eyes at his bad joke. "Well, House wouldn't tell me much details. What's it do?"

"I have no idea."

She glared daggers at him. "You almost killed me for it, and you don't even know what it does?"

"Chill, pussycat! You don't have to flip your lid. I got a secret weapon that will tell me what it does. All I can gather is that the Chip has something to do with the Securitrons. I think maybe beefing them up or something. If House expects to keep NCR and the Legion at bay after the war, he's gonna need it."

"So what is this secret weapon?"

"Well, if I told you, babe, then it wouldn't be much of a secret, dig?"

"If you're trying to get me on your side, then you aren't doing a very good job," Chloe stated.

Benny slowly got to his feet, making Chloe flinch. "Pussycat, you don't have to be so appealing."

He held his hand out for her. Chloe hesitated, then reached up and took his hand. Benny helped her to her feet from the couch, and then headed for his bedroom.

"Let's head to my room, baby."

"W-what?"

"You want to see my secret weapon, don't you?"

Chloe remained frozen where she was. "It depends on what it is."

The Chairmen leader shook his head with a grin, coming over to her and pushing her along. "What, you think I'm some kind of creep? Come on."

His bedroom was spacious and clean with a queen-sized bed, some dressers, a desk, and a closet. She followed him to another door in the back of the bedroom.

"Anything to get you to trust me," Benny said, opening the door and letting her in.

The door led them into a dim-lit room with a few computer terminals on desks. The room was dirtier than the rest of the place she had seen in the Tops, but it didn't take Chloe long to realize that this was a secret room that Benny kept from the others. There was a Securitron standing in the middle of the room, his screen displaying a cartoon smiling face. He swayed his arms as if he was laid-back and good-natured compared to his other Securitron brethren.

"This is my secret shop. And this here is Yes Man," Benny stated, motioning to the Securitron.

"Hi there!" Yes Man exclaimed happily. "Benny, it's lovely that you brought your girlfriend along! Is she going to help us kill Mr. House?"

Chloe glared at Yes Man. "I'm not his girl…wait. You are going to kill Mr. House? I should have known!"

"Well how else are the Chairmen going to take over?" Benny asked.

"So, what is your name, Benny's girlfriend?" Yes Man inquired. Again, the robot's voice was pleased and happy.

"It's Chloe. And I am not his girlfriend. I am the courier that he shot to get the Platinum Chip."

Yes Man started laughing. "I know that isn't true, because you still have a head!"

"No, she's the one," Benny sighed.

Yes Man laughed again, only this time, he sounded embarrassed. "That's not funny! You getting shot in the head!"

"Tell me about it," Chloe grumbled. She then turned to Benny. "So, what's his purpose?"

"My purpose is to decrypt all of House's signals and orders he is giving from the Lucky 38 to the rest of the Securitrons! I have been evaluating the Platinum Chip, and I now know what it's purpose is, and where Benny must go next before he is to kill Mr. House! It will be easy peasy! Well, unless you count all the Legion soldiers involved, and the trip there, and then the trip back. And then the only 12% chance that Benny will have to get into the Lucky 38 without getting killed!"

Benny rubbed his temple, looking very much annoyed. "Isn't he just an 18 karat kind of guy?"

"What do you mean, just a 12% chance of getting into the Lucky 38?" Chloe asked.

Yes Man laughed. "Well, Benny has been plotting ways to get into the Lucky 38 to kill Mr. House so he can upload my neuro-computational data onto the matrix system and mainframe and take over. But it just isn't possible as long as House is keeping everyone out of the Lucky 38!"

Chloe laughed, more so towards Benny. "You've been plotting to get inside, and Mr. House invites me in like an old buddy! Now that's funny!"

"So you've been in the Lucky 38? That's just swell!" Yes Man informed. "You can kill Mr. House for us!"

Chloe almost choked on her own air. "What? No, no. I…I can't do that!"

Benny walked over to her. "Don't you see, pussycat? This was meant to be! You and I are supposed to work together. This is why you lived, and now you're here."

"Why should I help you after what you did to me? And why should I trust you? You would just finish what you tried to do at Goodsprings after I finished helping you," Chloe said, eyes narrowing. "I saw what you did to the Great Khans at Boulder City."

"Well, I can't tell you what Benny is planning, as I can't read his brain, but I sure can tell you what Mr. House will do! If you work along with him, and do what he wants done for New Vegas, you will surely be killed in the process! And if you somehow survive to see his new Securitron army take out the NCR, Caesar's Legion, and any other threat, he will be getting rid of the Three Families and expanding New Vegas!"

"Why would he get rid of the Three Families after they have been here so long?" Chloe inquired, folding her arms.

"I already told you," Benny sighed. "We are just chess pieces in his little game. Eventually, he will want people who have no tribal history or lineage whatsoever."

It was completely different on how House explained to her. Chloe had no idea who to trust. She wanted to automatically believe House over Benny just in the fact alone that Benny shot her in the head, but there was something she just did not like about House at all. Benny's motive made sense at least. But how could she trust him after what he did to her? She was definitely in a dilemma, and Chloe knew she would need to make a decision fast and be careful on how she came about it.

Benny must have sensed her uncertainty. "Baby, I know I've been the worst fink to ya ever. I understand completely why you wouldn't trust me. But you have to admit that this seems like it was meant to be…us working together. If you help me do this, I will make it up to you. Whatever you want, it's yours!"

Benny knew he didn't stand a chance of finishing his plan without her. That played in Chloe's favor, but she was still uncertain on what to believe anymore. Sighing, she rubbed her temples for a moment.

"Alright, here's the deal. I'm going to go downstairs and get a drink. If you think of a way to get me to trust you, then come down and try it."

Benny grinned. "You ain't gonna make this easy, eh pussycat?"

"Nope."

"I like a challenge, baby. Go on and agitate the gravel. I will be down in no time. Before the night is over, we'll be on the same level!"

Chloe sighed, unsure. "I hope so."

"Wow Benny! Do you really think you can find a way to get her to trust you?" Yes Man asked.

"No doubt in my mind!"

Benny escorted her back into his living room, but they were surprised to see Swank standing by the front double doors, arms crossed and looking very unhappy.

"Swank? How the hell did you get in here?" Benny asked.

"I got a key, remember?" Swank glared at Benny. "So, you plan on taking over New Vegas and killing the man that gave us all of this?"

"He didn't give us anything, Swank," Benny retorted. "It's all contracted. Pretty soon our lease will be up, and we'll be roaming the wasteland again. I'm gonna make sure that doesn't happen."

"And why do you have to drag her into it?" Swank inquired. He didn't even wait for his brother to answer. He just turned to face Chloe instead. "How did you get mixed up into this mess, doll?"

"You don't have to tell him, pussycat. It's none of his business."

Chloe didn't hesitate. "He shot me in the head for the Platinum Chip I was delivering to Mr. House. Hence the bandage on my head and my arrival here."

Swank glared at Benny. "Jesus, Benjamin, you tried to kill this lovely gal? If you weren't chief I would deck you in the face right now."

"I bet you would, bro. And thank you, pussycat, I bet that was hard for you to spill out. How about you go downstairs, and I'll meet you down there after I have a little chit-chat with my brother here, hey? And take this card. Free drinks on me, baby."

Chloe took the card, taking one final glance between the brothers. Swank did not look happy at all. She picked up her holdout weapons, taking a glance at the gun that Benny shot her with. The 9mm pistol gleamed in the overhead light, and Chloe was stunned at the beautiful piece of religious artwork on the grip.

She then left the two men alone to talk in Benny's suite to head down to the first floor. She hid her holdout weapons once more, and was deep in thought as she wandered the casino. She got herself a drink, and was relieved to see Veronica coming down the stairs that led up to the Aces Theater. The Brotherhood Scribe smiled upon seeing the courier, and the two women sat down to visit.

"So, did you find Benny?"

"Sure did. Just came down here from his suite."

"What happened? Did you kill him?"

Chloe shook her head. "No, we just talked. I don't know what I'm going to do, Veronica! House wants me to work for him, and now Benny is trying to get me to trust him to help him out."

"And you are thinking about trusting him after what he did to you?"

"Well…yeah, I guess. But I really don't trust House either. I can understand Benny's motives, but House still puzzles me."

Veronica looked confused. "So you understand why he shot you in the face and you are okay with it?"

"No! That's not what I meant. But…as soon as he is done talking to his brother, he is supposed to be down here trying to get me to trust him." Chloe slumped her shoulders and took a swig of her drink and sighed. "I have no idea what to do. It seems I am stuck in this no matter what, but I need to decide who to trust and fast."

"I guess you trust whoever has the best benefits for you. At least, that is what I would do."

It didn't take long after Veronica's words for Benny to arrive at their table, rubbing his palms together and smiling down at Chloe. Chloe saw Swank heading back to the front desk, his eyes on her for a long moment before he turned the corner. Veronica and Chloe looked up to the Chairmen leader.

"Okay, so how many caps you want?" Benny asked.

"Excuse me?" Chloe grunted.

"How many caps will it take to get you to trust me? A grand? Two grand? Three grand?" He made it sound so easy coming out of his mouth like that was a lot of caps, even though Chloe knew that Benny had plenty of money.

"Sorry, but money isn't going to cut it. You can't buy my trust. Try again," Chloe sighed.

"Of course it won't! Stick around, baby! I'll be back!"

They watched him walk off. Veronica turned back to Chloe, watching as the courier kept her eyes on Benny until she couldn't see him no longer.

"So, what will it take to get you to trust him?"

"Well, if he just says please and sits down and apologize to where I can feel that he actually means it, then I might just trust him."

"That's all? Well…okay…"

The two women talked some while enjoying their drinks. Chloe got the time off of Veronica, knowing the evening was getting late. The courier wondered how Cass and Boone were doing over at Gomorrah. She knew Boone wouldn't get into trouble, and she hoped that Cass would hold her fist so long as the sniper was around. The Brotherhood Scribe must have read Chloe's thoughts, because she was soon asking about what everyone else was doing.

Chloe and Veronica were laughing at a joke that Veronica had told by the time Benny arrived back at their table. The Chairmen chief looked so sure of himself as he presented her with a key.

"What's that?" Chloe asked.

"How about I comp you the Presidential Suite? Best crib in the house, dig? You deserve a taste of the VIP lifestyle."

Chloe shook her head. "House already gave me the Presidential Suite in the Lucky 38. Try again."

"Of course, how fly of him," Benny grumbled, heading off.

"Wow, he is really trying, huh?" Veronica laughed.

"He doesn't stand a chance succeeding in his plans without me. I guess that plays in my favor," Chloe answered.

The next hour played out pretty much the same way. Chloe got Veronica and her more drinks and visited while Benny would be back and forth trying to buy or win Chloe's trust. He offered her many things, from an ultra rare and valuable diamond necklace that Veronica was ogling over to things that her father would never say no to. All the while, the other Chairmen hanging around watched on like it was a sitcom. Chloe knew she was annoying the hell out of Benny in his attempts to win her trust, mostly from the embarrassment he was receiving from the other Chairmen thinking he was trying to woo her and was failing miserably each time.

Chloe was enjoying it. It was a little piece of revenge, seeing as Benny was just too dense to apologize and talk to her. From so many years running a business and acting as chief, he apparently got into the bad habit of treating people like business. She was beginning to wonder if she would have to leave, or if Benny would eventually give up.

Benny finally went to Swank, who was busy filling out paperwork up at the front desk. The Chairmen leader paced back and forth, with Swank hardly paying attention.

"What's wrong, chief? Lose your groove? You must really want that broad if you're still after her and she is still turning you down!" Martin laughed.

Benny glared at Martin, making the younger Chairmen swallow his drink a little too hard and get back to work. Benny heaved a sigh, trying to think. Swank looked up from his paperwork, studying his younger half-brother.

"Why do broads have to be so damn complicated? I've tried everything to get her to trust me. She's embarrassing me in front of the guys!"

Swank rolled his eyes, turning to face him. "They aren't complicated. Chloe is probably just getting a little revenge, and teaching you a little humility while she is at it…which you really need. My word of advice, bro? How about you sit down and talk to her. Apologize for what you did and mean it. Get to know her…ya know, treat her like a human being which you clearly did not do when you two first met. You didn't even give her a chance, dig?"

Benny groaned, rubbing his palm over his face. "What a way to make me feel like a fink, Swank."

"Well, you sure as hell acted like one towards her, so you deserve it."

"You're just jealous 'cuz I saw her first!"

Swank glared at Benny. "I hardly doubt your first meeting with her counts, seeing as you shot her in the face, dig? Oh and throwin' her in a shallow grave too. How respectful of you, Benjamin. Great first impression. But seriously, I thought she was business, not pleasure? And now you're tryin' to kill the man who gave us all of this? And you're going to drag her into it? You are even more like Cash than I thought."

"Ouch, that hurts, brother," Benny snickered. "It seems you are still failing to see the big picture. What I am planning is for the benefit of the family and Vegas, hey?"

"I hope so," Swank mumbled, turning away.

Benny headed off to go back to Chloe's table. It was a good thing that he came up to them when he did, because it looked as though the two women were getting ready to leave. Chloe looked to him expectantly with Veronica at her side.

"Got something else up your sleeve?" Chloe asked.

"Actually, I was hoping you would want to talk…one on one."

The courier seemed surprised, and then guarded. It took her a moment to answer. "Alright." She then turned to her friend. "Veronica, tell the others I will be back shortly."

"No problem. Good luck."

Chloe watched Veronica head for the entrance of the Tops to leave just for a moment, and then slowly walked with Benny to the elevators in the back to head up to his suite. All the while, she chewed on her lip, wondering what she was getting herself into, and why she was allowing herself to follow the Fox.


	10. The Wild Card

### Chapter 9: The Wild Card

There was an awkward silence between the two. Chloe waited patiently on one couch while Benny seemed to be in deep thought across from her on the other sofa. There were glasses of wine for them, but Chloe knew she had enough already from downstairs. She already felt tipsy, thanks to Veronica. She was exhausted now, especially when she realized it was already after midnight, on top of all the stress she got herself in.

She still knew it would be best to stay cautious around Benny, even if they were working together. She hoped her intuition would come through and explain why she was going through with any of this, either it be Mr. House or Benny. Mr. House had yet to show her a reason to trust him, and until he did, it looked as though she was going to have to place uncertain trust into the man who shot her in the head.

Benny sighed, rubbing his fingers along his hair and leaning back on the sofa. He snapped the lid on his lighter open and shut for a few moments, until he was able to gather his thoughts into words. "My brother made a good point to me. When we first met, I didn't even treat you like a human being. I was so bent on getting the Platinum Chip that I didn't care who you were, gorgeous face or not. Even though I made sure the Khans dug you a decent grave, it didn't bother me as much as it should have. I ain't no saint. I've killed lots of people since the tribe days and even up until now as chief. But you…it felt wrong, and I still went through with it anyways to get the Chip. Now here's karma biting me in the ass, dig? I don't blame you for not trusting me. I wouldn't if I were in your shoes. But I seriously think we can help each other. You are here for a reason after all, babe. I sincerely want to make it up to you. So, what I am really trying to say is…I'm sorry."

She knew well enough that he meant it. Still, the uncertainty remained. Chloe was quiet for a few moments, studying Benny. She slowly nodded her head at him. A silent gesture to accept his apology.

Benny seemed relieved. He leaned forward, studying her while taking a drink of his wine. "So tell me, pussycat. What's your story? Where did you come from?"

Chloe lowered her gaze at the mention of the tender subject. "It's kinda a long story."

Benny was lighting a cigarette now. As he put his lighter away, he talked with the lit cigarette still between his lips. "I got all night, baby."

"Those will kill you, ya know," Chloe sighed, shaking her head.

"Eh, so will a Deathclaw or Yao Guai or any other thing out in the Wasteland," Benny chuckled, taking a drag.

Chloe decided to get comfortable on the sofa if she was going to tell her story. It hurt to start it, but as she got into it, she felt better letting it all out. Benny remained curious the whole time. She told him everything she could think of that was important, from New Reno, Dad, Shadow, Jacob, the incident at Falling Rock, everything. It went on for a little over an hour, until she was sure she covered what she thought would work.

"Baby, this might sound odd, but I did run into you boyfriend near Camp Golf. He was looking for you."

Chloe was surprised. "You sure?"

"Yeah, dark hair, blue eyes. There was a cut on his cheek, and he wore a mercenary outfit. He mentioned your name and a dog named Shadow."

"That is him! I wonder why he followed me. I told him I didn't want to go east. Maybe he decided against it too. I guess I will have to go search for him when I have the time."

"I'm sorry to hear about your father and everything else you had to go through, baby. It makes me feel even more like a fink knowing I just made things worse."

Chloe twitched her lips. "It's fine. I'm handling it a lot better than I thought I would."

She scratched at her bandage from insecurity. Her light touch didn't take much to tear it enough to fall open. She gathered up the useless bandages, feeling along her scalp to see if she could feel the damage. Benny got to his feet, walking over to her. He pulled her to her feet, taking the bandages from her to toss away in a nearby trash bin. He led her to the bathroom, where they entered so she could look in the mirror.

On the hairline above her left eye, the scar was very much visible, and slightly came down onto her forehead just a bit. She had a thin area of hair, probably from the shot itself and from Doc Mitchell cleaning it up. It wasn't infected and was no longer bruised. Chloe had to force her bangs over so they would cover it. She was lucky it wasn't worse than that.

"You do have a thick skull," Benny said, cupping her face with one hand and smoothing his other over the scar gently. "You hardly have any damage. The bullet didn't scatter, but it didn't even pass all the way through."

Chloe reached into her pocket, pulling out the bullet that Doc Mitchell had retrieved from her skull. Benny took it curiously to look at it before handing it back over, their bodies remaining only inches apart.

"Doc Mitchell was surprised too. I just had a few minor side effects while it was healing, so I was definitely lucky."

"You're more than lucky, baby. Maybe you should try your hand at some gambling," Benny chuckled.

She smiled as they walked out of the bathroom together back into the living room of the suite. Just as they were nearing the sofas, and Chloe was thinking it was about time to leave to get back to the Lucky 38 and rest, the phone on a stand near the bar started going off. Benny glanced at Chloe for a moment, and then went to answer it. Chloe waited patiently, making sure to watch Benny closely.

"What's the haps?" Benny asked into the phone. There was a pause as he listened to the person on the other side. Chloe assumed it was Swank. "You don't say? Alright, we'll be right down."

Benny hung up the phone, turning to Chloe with a look that perked her interest. She walked around the sofa to approach him curiously.

"What's happening?"

"A bear flag boy is down in my lobby looking for you. Says a couple of your friends by the names of Craig Boone and Rose something Cassidy are in the jailhouse down by the NCR Embassy."

"What? I leave them alone for a couple of hours and they get themselves thrown in jail?" Chloe sighed, rubbing her brow. "Well, at least I know better not to blame Boone. I'm sure Cass got them into this situation."

"I'm sure he is here to collect their bail from you," Benny said, opening the front door for her.

Chloe passed him, pausing only to let Benny lock his door and get in line with her to head down to the front lobby. It was easy to spot the three NCR soldiers waiting near the front entrance of the Tops. Swank and Martin were hanging around, waiting for them to show up. The lead NCR soldier seemed to spot her right away just as they were reaching the group.

"Chloe Maye?" he inquired.

"That's me."

"Thank you. I'm Lieutenant Harnes, ma'am. I am here because two of your friends, a Mr. Craig Boone, and a Miss Rose of Sharon Cassidy have wound up in the jailhouse because of a disruption at Gomorrah. Those two, along with four Viper gang members have been arrested on the account. I hear they are lucky, however, because it was reported that the Omertas killed three Vipers just before the fight was broken up. Anyways, they sent me to find you saying that you could pay their bail. Their bail is set at five hundred caps each."

"I don't have a thousand caps! I was barely able to get through the Gate and that's only because we had a VIP pass! I can't pay that! I'm sure they didn't start the fight. How can you arrest them if they were acting out of defense? That isn't right!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Maye, but if you do not pay their bail, then they will have to serve their sentence, which is eight days."

"I can't believe this. Can I go talk to them?" Chloe asked.

"Of course."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Benny said, holding up a palm. "How much did you need?"

"A thousand," Harnes answered simply.

Benny turned to his older brother. "Well, you heard the cat, dig? Give him a grand of caps, pronto!"

Swank nodded, glancing at Chloe before heading around the other side of the front desk to gather the money. Chloe started shaking her head at Benny, who quickly started syncing head nods to her head shakes.

"No, no, you can't."

"But I just did, babe! Stop fretting. It's the least I can do for you, pussycat. We're working together now, aren't we?"

She watched Swank come back over, handing a sack of caps. "I know, but-"

"It takes two to tango, pussycat," Benny chuckled at her, and then he quickly turned to the NCR soldier. "Is that enough, bear boy?"

"Yes, thank you. I am very sorry about the inconvenience, but it is just a part in the treaty we signed with Mr. House. We even punish our own soldiers this way, and that is the only reason Boone is still in his cell."

Benny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure you're sorry." The Chairmen leader then turned to Chloe. "Don't you worry about a thing, baby. The Ben-Man's got your back. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

He kissed her scar, and then turned and left on his own. Chloe stared after him for a moment, before following the NCR soldiers out of the Tops Hotel and Casino to head for the NCR Embassy and jailhouse.

Chloe shook her head at the sight in the jailhouse. Cass and Boone were in different cells, with a soldier sitting at a desk doing paperwork watching over them and the rest of the Vipers. Boone was venting in the corner, glaring across his cell at Cass, who was busy playing with a small, red bouncy ball. The few Vipers that were in their own cells were moaning and groaning. There was one with a busted nose with blood all over his face.

"Mr. Boone, Miss Cassidy, you two are free to go. Miss Maye had your bail paid for," Lieutenant Harnes said after nodding to the NCR guard.

The NCR guard moved to unlock their cells. Boone was up on his feet, ready to get out of there. Cass put her ball up and walked over to the door. She grinned at Chloe, waving at her.

"I knew you would come through for us!"

"It's her fault before you ask," Boone grumbled.

Cass glared at the sniper. "Fuck, will you just let it go? I said I was sorry."

Chloe sighed, though she couldn't help the smile as her two friends came over to her. Harnes nodded to her as the NCR guard slid the now empty cells closed once more.

"I'm sorry things turned out this way. Just remember to stay out of trouble next time."

He turned and left, leaving Chloe to shake her head at Boone and Cass. They went to leave, receiving dirty glares from the Vipers. Cass tapped on the cell with the Viper that had a busted nose. She had a smug smile on her face and waved at him.

"I hope your mother will still love you after this, cuz you were fucking hideous before I popped you in the face, now it's even worse."

He ran at the cell, yelling a nasty name at the caravan woman. Cass stepped just a few inches back, allowing the Viper to slam into the bars and yell at her. Her grin only seemed to widen, and she was about to say more when the NCR guard snapped at them.

"Hey, stop antagonizing the prisoners! Get out of here, will ya?"

Boone grabbed Cass by the arm, dragging her out of there with Chloe picking up the heel. Once outside the jailhouse, the three headed back to the Lucky 38. On their stroll, Chloe wanted to know the story on what happened, so Boone and Cass told her in between various bickering between them.

"So, how were you able to bail us out? Boone and I know better that you had enough caps! What did you do, show him your boobs?"

"I think her standards are a bit higher than yours, Cass," Boone snorted.

"No one asked you!"

"Alright, you two! Sheesh! Actually, Benny paid the bail for me."

Cass gave her a wild look. "The asshole you were supposed to kill because he shot you in the face?"

"Yep. Him."

"Why didn't you kill his ass? C'mon, let's go to Tops so you can finish the job!"

"No!"

They paused, looking surprised. Boone didn't show it as much, but his eyebrow sure did raise curiously at her outburst. Cass was suspicious. She glared over at the flashing neon signs outside the Tops back to Chloe.

"Oh my God, you slept with him, didn't you?"

"W-what? I did not, Cass! We only talked!"

"Why the hell would you want to sit down and talk with the guy who shot you in the head and left you for dead? Please explain it to me."

"She does have a point," Boone mumbled, studying Chloe closely.

Chloe heaved a long sigh. She rubbed her forehead in thought, trying to think of her words carefully. It frustrated her, because she really didn't know herself.

"I…I really don't know."

"That's just great," Cass said, tossing her arms. "You know how much danger you put yourself in? He could've killed you, Chloe! And if he is acting like a gentleman it is just to pull you in. Don't fall for his tricks, his nickname is the Fox remember?"

"I know, it's just-"

"I'm gonna go in there and give that bastard a piece of my mind!"

Cass started storming that way, but Boone quickly caught her arm and pulled her back. "Bad idea."

"Look, I'm not a kid! I know how to take care of myself. Just…let me handle my business with Benny. If I get my ass killed, then you can go kill him for me. Alright?"

Cass and Boone seemed unsure, but both of them finally nodded slowly at her. After a moment of awkward silence, with drunken soldiers and rowdy gamblers walking all over the main street of the Strip, the three headed back to the Lucky 38 to get some rest. All the while, Chloe's mind was pulsing with thoughts on what she was going to do.

************************************************************************************************************************

Chloe was not surprised that House had no new information for her the following morning. He refused to give her anything she could rely on. The photo of him on the monitor screen stared at her just as seriously as the last time. In the end, Chloe ended up making up the story that she was pretending to get close to Benny to get the Platinum Chip back. A way she explained to him as being safer, as well as sneakier. Mr. House didn't sound too thrilled of her taking on the more subtle approach to seduce Benny and get the Chip, only because he would have to wait longer, but he didn't object. She could only hope that he believed her story as well.

This also led her to tell House to make sure and hide the fact that he knows what Benny is up to. Chloe wanted to get Benny to go to the meeting tonight between House and the Three Families, so she could get a better perspective on what she was dealing with. The Las Vegas Boulevard Building held the monorail for NCR soldiers to have a quick way to go back and forth between the Strip and Camp McCarran without having to go through Freeside. It was where the Families held their meetings because not only was it on neutral ground, but the surrounding NCR soldiers and Securitrons on watch would further keep the risk of a fight breaking out.

Before she left, House had one last thing to say to her. A Securitron brought up a box of old Pre-War devices that were small, slick and looked like a phone. Chloe had no idea what they were until House explained to her on screen.

"These are cellular devices, cell phones. A wireless form of the average telephone you see in the Wasteland. They were common before the Great War as a way to keep in contact with people. Since you and your friends are working for me now, I thought it would be a good idea to have my Securitrons fix some of the towers all over New Vegas to allow you to use these, if ever you and your friends need to split up. This will help you be able to call them if you need anything. Now, there is one here for each of your friends with their own numbers already installed on the device. Please use them wisely."

Needless to say, Chloe was surprised. She thanked the autocrat for his gift and left to go give each of the others their own cell phone. Everyone but Rex and ED-E received one, though Chloe figured the cyber-dog and robot would be sticking with her most of the time anyway. Victor and Raul were nice enough to show them how the cell phones worked. Lily was just giddy over it, as Chloe assumed the small, sleek wireless phone brought back many human memories for the Nightkin. The courier was also afraid the Nightkin was going to crush her cell phone in those giant fists of hers.

They all had lunch down in the lounge on the first floor of the Lucky 38, laughing and in no hurry to head out to do their own things. Chloe made sure to tell them that if they were going to go to the Tops that Benny was off limits so she could deal with him. It seemed mostly everyone wanted to check out the Ultra-Luxe today. Chloe made sure to remind Cass that until they made more money, getting thrown in jail meant staying in jail. Chloe told Cass and Boone that she was lucky that Benny even paid for them to get out.

"If you are trying to get me to go into the Tops and thank him then you're out of your fucking mind, hussy!" Cass snapped.

"You're not allowed within ten miles of Benny because I know you too well."

Cass chuckled. "Alright, alright. Fine. If it makes you feel better, I think I am gonna head out of the city to go search for some caravans that were supposedly ambushed and destroyed like mine was. I want to go check them out, see if I can find any clues."

Chloe was surprised. "Alone?"

"Oh, don't give me that look, Chloe. I'll be fine. I like how you act like the mother of this group yet you are the youngest one here."

"Don't listen to her, boss. At least you act your age," Raul chuckled. The ghoul had a toothy grin on his face as Cass glared at him.

Veronica had snorted to cover up some chuckles, right into her spoonful of beans. Cass was finished with her meal, and was getting up to leave. She checked her weapons and supplies before she headed for the door.

"Alright, I'm gone. Call me on the stupid shell phone if you need me."

"It's a cell phone," Raul corrected.

"Whatever!"

The caravan driver left the VIP lounge downstairs to the open first floor. The few Securitrons guarding the main floor casino watched Cass as she went to the front door and left. The closing of the door echoed across the whole first floor, and even rattled a crooked picture hanging on the wall in the VIP lounge. Bing Crosby was playing on the nearby radio, but soon the mysterious radio voice, Mr. New Vegas, was talking about various news across the Mojave Wasteland. Chloe glanced to the silent Boone.

He heaved a sigh, getting up and finishing his bottled water. "You owe me big time for this."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise! Take ED-E with you!"

The Eyebot beeped upon hearing its name, gliding over to Chloe with interest. Chloe told ED-E to go with Boone and to listen to his orders. The robot made a noise that made it sound disappointed or sad, so Chloe patted ED-E on its face and watched it follow Boone to go after Cass.

Chloe looked around the first floor of the Lucky 38. The lighting was dim for a casino. She could tell it had been devoid of life since before the war. House and the Securitrons may have taken great care of the unique casino and hotel, but the cool, empty atmosphere was enough to almost unsettle Chloe. It almost seemed the place was haunted. Before the radio had been turned on, the place had given off such a disturbing echo, as if this place was forever frozen in time.

Chloe turned to Veronica, Raul, and Lily. "So, all three of you are going to the Ultra-Luxe?"

"Of course!" Veronica exclaimed. "We'll let you know how it is! I hear it is really, really fancy!"

"But they wear those creepy masks. Something not right about that," Raul added.

"It's just for theatrical purposes! We had the same kind of masks in our vault for acts we would put together!" Lily said hoarsely.

Chloe patted Rex on the head, just behind his brain case. "You ready, boy?"

"Ruff!"

"Good luck with Benny, alright? Try not to fall for his charm too fast!"

Chloe glared at the snickering Veronica. Veronica cleaned up their leftovers to throw away in the nearby trash bin. The old Mexican ghoul was up on his feet next, scratching his head and walking over to her.

"Be careful, alright boss? I'm with you no matter what you decide, just be sure to remember that Benny is dangerous. He's like a rattler in a pit…you are gonna have to step very lightly."

Chloe smiled softly, nodding at the ghoul and hugging him. "Thanks, Raul. Keep Veronica out of trouble."

"Hey! I happen to be a Brotherhood Scribe! I don't need watched over!"

Chloe was grabbed from behind and crushed to Lily's chest. "Be careful, pumpkin! Leo and I are gonna go with Veronica and Raul! If I find out that you've been hurt by that evil man, then Leo and I might just have to destroy and kill everyone!" Chloe laughed nervously after she was put back down, waving her arms and shaking her head. "No, no! That won't be needed! I'll be fine, Grandma!"

"I'm just gonna run upstairs to grab some stuff! Hold on! Good luck, Chloe!" Veronica said, heading for the elevator down from the VIP lounge.

"Thanks!"

"She can take her time. These old bones are in no hurry," Raul sighed.

Chloe and Rex headed out on their own. Outside on the main street of the Strip, the blazing hot sun was beating down already. The neon lights of the city were off from the daylight, making Vegas look not near as colorful as what it was at night. It was still just as crowded with travelers coming in, gamblers roaming about, along with NCR soldiers and Securitrons. Rex trotted at her side, panting from the heat. His ears and eyes were scanning all around them in utmost curiosity. His tail slightly wagged, though he seemed more like he was just looking out for trouble. They made their way towards the Tops.

Chloe thought she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. As she watched to see if she could catch a better glimpse, she wasn't watching where she was walking and slammed right into another person. She stumbled back a bit, but easily caught herself. The man she had bumped into wore a light gray suit very similar to the Chairmen, but she could easily tell he was not from their brood. A dark fedora was on his head, covering his brown hair. He gave her a glare with his icy green eyes.

"You need to watch where you're walking, girlie," he stated, tone thick with venom.

He was definitely not a Chairman with those looks and tone. Seeing as how he was heading for Gomorrah, Chloe figured out he was an Omerta, or at least an Omerta thug. She glared at the man just as Rex started to growl lowly, baring white teeth. His eyes never left the man.

"Excuse me? Who are you? It was just a simple accident."

The man snorted contemptuously. "Nero Omerta, chief of our original tribe, the Slither Kin, and owner of Gomorrah. And who are you, girlie?"

_Oh great…_

If Benny was the Fox of the Strip, then Chloe must have been facing the Wolf. There was something she did not like about him at all. It wasn't because of the way they bumped into each other or the way he was treating her. She saw real malice there in those eyes. There was intelligence there, but also a flare of something wild.

"Chloe. Chloe Maye."

"Wait a minute. Aren't you that broad that went into the Lucky 38 to see Not-At-Home?"

"Not-At-Home? Oh, you must mean House. Yeah, that's me."

Nero got a sly grin on his handsome face. "So, what's the top dog like?"

Chloe shrugged, trying to avoid saying much. "I didn't see him in the flesh and blood. Sorry. He showed himself to me on a monitor screen like he does with the Securitrons."

"Why ain't I surprised?" Nero snorted, folding his arms. "So tell me, doll face, why did you go to the Tops when you could've had a better time at my place?"

Chloe bit her tongue, faking a smile. "I had business with Benny."

She was aware that Rex was still growling with bared teeth. She tried to hush the cyber-dog, but he remained transfixed on the Omerta chief. Nero chuckled lowly, presumably at her words.

"Business, eh? And you're heading right back there again? Well run along then, girlie. Have fun hanging with a bunch of losers who think they are cool."

He slipped past her, avoiding Rex and heading for Gomorrah. Chloe watched Nero go, settling once Rex stopped growling. Sighing, she praised her dog and they continued on their way to the Tops.

When she entered into the hotel and casino, she was greeted by Swank. Chloe wondered if Rex was going to growl at anyone else. Shadow had been protective of her also, and could often smell people's deception. There were a few times the pit bull growled or bit someone who Chloe and her father had thought they could trust. They had come to know when to trust the dog if he growled at a stranger that came off as friendly or nonthreatening. Chloe hoped that Rex's little stunt with Nero meant that he would do the same. It made her wonder if he would growl at Benny or any of the Chairmen.

"Hello baby! Good to see ya!"

Chloe smiled warmly at Swank's charm. "Hey Swank! How are you doing?"

"Swell, baby, swell! And lookie what you got here! Hello Rex 'ol boy!"

Rex was wagging his tail like crazy, trotting up to Swank to get some petting. Swank bent down to pet the cyber-dog. Chloe smiled, relieved at Rex's laid-back, happy demeanor right now.

"You know him huh?"

Swank chuckled. "Yeah, the King's dog. We used to be in the same tribe. I went to visit him in Freeside a few times, and he had Rex with him. What're you doing with him?"

"The King gave him to me after I helped him get Rex a new brain. It was very sweet of him."

"Well, I am glad to here that, doll! Rex has needed a new brain for awhile. I'm glad you found him one!" Swank stood back up as Rex came back over to Chloe's side. "So, I take it you are here to see Benny again, hey?"

Chloe nodded.

"Go ahead and head up to his suite. He just went that way. I'll page him and let him know you are on your way up."

"Thanks, Swank!"

"No problem, doll!"

Chloe and Rex headed to the back of the casino floor, passing by many gamblers, NCR soldiers, and Chairmen. She took the elevator up to the thirteenth floor with the cyber-dog then stepped out when the doors dinged open. She paused outside the double doors to his suite, glancing down at Rex and wondering what he would do. She didn't want Benny to just up and shoot Rex or her if he decided to growl at his presence. Taking a deep breath, and making sure she was ready, she knocked on one of the double doors.

"It's open!"

She cautiously entered with Rex into the suite. Benny was sitting at his bar on one of the bar stools flipping through some paperwork. He glanced at her, and then his eyes went straight down to Rex, who started sniffing around curiously. The Chairmen leader put his paperwork aside, and slid off of the bar stool to come and greet her.

"I didn't know I allowed pets in my casino."

Chloe looked from Rex to Benny. "It should be no problem, considering you shot me in the head, right?"

"Sure, pussycat. And of course it is no problem seeing as it's 'ol Brain."

Benny whistled, which caused Rex to perk up quickly. His tail started wagging and the dog came straight to Benny. Benny petted the cyber-dog, who sat down and thumped his tail eagerly on the floor.

Chloe couldn't understand if she was surprised or not that her dog was not growling like he had with Nero. She looked to Benny, slightly smiling. "Brain?"

"That's what I call him. I know his name is Rex, dig? So, what are you doing with Joseph's dog anyway?"

"Joseph?"

"The King. I figured you two's were on a first name basis if ya had his dog. Guess I was wrong!"

"Well, he gave Rex to me after I helped him get Rex a new brain. So, he's mine now. It was very kind of the King to do that."

Benny stood up, studying her curiously while letting the cyber-dog go to sniff out the place. Benny chuckled, turning to go back over to the bar. "Joseph wouldn't just give Brain away to anyone. He must know you're a very special gal."

Chloe slightly rolled her eyes, knowing Benny was probably trying to charm her with his words already, and she hadn't been in the room for five minutes. She followed the chief over to the bar, glancing at Rex to see that the dog looked content in the suite.

"I made up a story to tell House to throw him off for now. Hopefully, he believed it. I told him I was trying to seduce you to get the Platinum Chip."

Benny smirked at her. "Baby, I dig the way you think. We could role-play if you really want to convince him, hey?"

Chloe heaved a sigh, slightly glaring at him and putting her hands on her hips. "Focus. Now, I told him you had no idea that he was on to you. This will enable us to go to the meeting tonight between the Families and House."

Benny looked disappointed, maybe even a little annoyed. "Pussycat, I got myself outta that very same meeting just so I wouldn't have to deal with those losers. It's just a session where we can all tell each other how much we hate each other. We ain't gonna miss anything important."

"I want to see how the Three Families act around each other. Do you want my help or not?"

"Alright, alright. I get it."

Chloe nodded, reveling in her small victory. "Good, then we are going to the meeting."

"You drive a hard bargain, babe. But really, all you're gonna get from that meeting is a big fat headache, dig?"

"I'll remember that. Has Yes Man come up with anything new yet?"

Benny shrugged, digging out some Nuka-Colas from the refrigerator for them to drink. "Yes and no." He popped the caps open with a knife and handed her one.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean just that. He hasn't figured out a way to help us take care of House for good, but he finished decrypting many files so now we know exactly where to take the Chip."

"Where are we taking the Chip?"

"Beneath an old substation at Fortification Hill."

She choked on the cold Nuka-Cola he had given her. "The Fort? Why there? And why are you acting as though it isn't a big deal? That's where Caesar is located for crying out loud!"

Benny chuckled. "It'll be tough, baby. I ain't denying that. But I have already figured out a plan to sneak our way through."

"Sneak through a camp full of Legion soldiers? I'm dying to hear it," Chloe sighed, sitting down next to him at the bar. "Is this where your plan to kill me ends? You gonna find a way to expose me to Caesar?"

"Ouch," he said, smirking. "Baby, I thought we've been through this? I ain't gonna expose you. What, are you scared or something?"

Chloe lowered her eyes to the cold Nuka-Cola she was holding in her hands. "I've just had bad experiences with the Legion, that's all."

"Who hasn't?" Benny asked. There was a long moment of silence between them until the Chairmen leader turned to the courier. "Do ya really think your father is still alive?"

Chloe shrugged. "It's just kinda fishy on how everything went down at Falling Rock. It makes no sense on why they would take him when he was going to bleed out anyway. I highly doubt they would save him, but why would they take him?"

"What baffles me is why they went all the way to New Reno. Sounds like your father was stood up, baby. Do you think he could've been hiding something from you?"

Chloe flinched, slightly glaring at Benny. "My father wouldn't keep anything from me. It would be hard to anyway, we were always with each other."

"Well, I will tell you this, pussycat," Benny sighed, tossing Rex a piece of jerky. "If the Legion does decide to keep any men as slaves, it is just to use them as gladiators in the ring."

"Gladiators?" Chloe grunted.

"Fancy word for slave fighting, dig? It's like dog fighting, only worse. They can put them up against other male slaves and bet for the winner, or even throw in some wild animals. They have to kill to survive, and have to survive to maybe have a chance of being set free. Though, knowing that bastard Caesar, I doubt he'll let any winner have it."

"That's sick."

"It is, and I can't think of one person who would disagree. Caesar's Legion is the worst of the worst. And I can say this easily, even though we used to scalp people for giggles."

They got to their feet, Benny walking over to Rex to pet the cyber-dog while Chloe hesitated near the bar, taking in his words.

"I would hate to see what would happen if the Legion took over Hoover Dam. The Strip would be destroyed, along with everything else. The NCR is not much better, but they at least keep the Legion at bay. Hopefully, the Platinum Chip and House's little plan to clean everyone's clocks will prove to work."

Chloe took a few steps closer to Benny and Rex, but stopped. "Do you think the Legion would destroy the Strip?"

Benny chuckled at her, shaking his head. "Nah, just spruce it up with a crucifixion here and there. Come closer so I can step on you, babe."

She gave him a look. "That's not what I meant. I'm thinking they would turn it into another large fort, not tear it all down. I don't think they will gamble and keep all the neon lights, but you know they wouldn't just burn the Strip to the ground."

They decided to head into Benny's workshop to speak to Yes Man. The smiling Securitron waved at them happily in greeting. Rex barked at the robot, trotting over to sniff him curiously.

"Hello again! Chloe, you are looking very pretty today!" Yes Man exclaimed.

Chloe couldn't help but to smile at the Securitron's ever upbeat tone. "Thanks, Yes Man."

"Anything new since last night?" Benny asked.

"No siree! I've been decrypting Mr. House's signals for hours, and still no new information! I was hoping I could find some more information before you guys leave for Fortification Hill, but I do say that it seems that Mr. House has become much quieter lately. But seeing as how we are going to exploit Mr. House to gain control of the entire Strip, I wouldn't worry about it too much!" Yes Man paused in his happy words for a moment, the smiling face on his screen never moving. "Did I just say exploit? Wow, that isn't a very nice word."

Chloe bit her lip. _I have no idea why I am getting myself into this mess, but I hope it's for a good reason…_

Benny turned to her, a sly smile forming on his handsome face. "You know what the three of us are? We are the wild card, hey? House won't know what hit him 'til it's too late!"

"Wild cards that are gonna end up dead," Chloe said, crossing her arms.

Benny shook his head at her. "Baby, don't worry. I'm not done riggin' the odds for us. I won't roll the dice until that happens, hey?"

Benny, Chloe, and Rex left Yes Man to go back into the front of the suite. They sat down on the sofas opposite each other. "Pussycat, the meeting starts in a few hours. Let's go find you something formal!"

"Huh? Oh no, I don't do dresses and all that. I think I will be fine in my jeans and shirt and boots."

"You sure you wanna meet the other Families dressed like a mercenary?"

"I already met Nero. I highly doubt he is the kind of man I would want to dress up for."

Benny winced. "Oh, do I feel sorry for you, babe. He's the kind of guy I wouldn't wanna cross paths with in a dark alley if I were you."

"So I've noticed. Rex didn't like him at all."

Benny nodded. "Sure. For good reason. You know anything on the Slither Kin?"

Chloe shook her head.

"They had a nasty way of tricking people into their camps to kill them and take their stuff. They even took some as slaves. Some of those prostitutes you see hanging around their casino are good examples of that. Nero was the chief of that tribe, but really they aren't much farther from their roots even now. They replace their women constantly. Why? Because they drug them 'til their dead and I also hear they sell and trade women throughout the country."

"Then why don't they act like they are scared or anything? I'm sure the other prostitutes would know what was going on as well."

Benny leaned back on the sofa. "That's because Nero brainwashes them. He even uses the women from his own tribe, which goes to show you how much he actually gives a damn for anyone else. For you, honey, I would stay on his bad side. If you even get a feeling he becomes interested in you, that is when you need to be very careful."

Chloe felt sick inside. "I'll…remember that." She then looked at him curiously. "Speaking of which, where are all the women from your tribe? You haven't told me your story. Maybe now's a good time."

"That's a long story, pussycat."

"You said we had a few hours before the meeting. Should be long enough then."

Benny heaved a sigh, crossing one of his legs and rocking his foot up and down for a moment as he thought. Rex laid down by Chloe's feet, looking comfortable enough to take a nap. He withdrew a cigarette from the pack on the table and lit it.

"We were once called the Boot Riders, silly name, but that's how we rolled the Mojave, dig? On our feet. We were one of the few nomadic tribes around, and one of the most dangerous, so hardly anyone trifled with us. At one time Swank's father Sinatra ruled the tribe, then my father Cash took over. Swank and I share the same mother, as you already know. We had a sister too, well, my only full sister, his half-sister, younger than me by a few years. When I was a fifteen, many years after Cash had ruled, this guy named Bingo took over. He killed our mother in the process. We had many battles with the Great Khans and the Slither Kin, hence why we all hate each other so much, dig? So, by the time I was twenty that was when House first sent a Securitron to us. We were east of the ruins then, and we knocked it flat instantly. The next day, twenty rolled up, so we listened. House offered us everything that a tribe never gets…food, water, shelter, medical treatment. In turn we would run his business and defend the city. Most of the tribe thought we should say no, but I thought it was the best idea ever. I knew we had the panache to pull this off, but it all came down to the chief's decision. Of course, Bingo wanted to stay nomadic. Since I was quick to counter his reasons on why we should go with the offer, he was quick to challenge me to the knife for leadership. So, I took the challenge and killed him. And that's how I made chief. Even though I won the duel, some of the tribe thought I was still too young, even though I was Cash's son, especially the women. So almost all the women and older men and children of the tribe left on their own while the younger generation men and a few of the women and few of the older men stayed behind with me. House gave us the Tops to renovate, and gave us all suits, told us we were the Chairmen now. I told the others, the shoes fit, Ta-Ta to the old ways baby. Of course, old habits die hard, and of course it was our luck that he brought in Nero and his filthy pack of rats from Slither Kin to be our neighbors. I heard not long after we had finished renovating the Tops that the rest of our tribe had been wiped out by the Legion. So, now it's only us."

Chloe was surprised. "That's quite a story."

"It was a rough life, but what life isn't out in the Mojave Wasteland? The important thing is that my tribe's well taken care of and we're all happy now."

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother."

Benny shrugged, carefully hiding his emotions. "I got my revenge when I let 'ol Bingo bleed out slowly. He thought he was so tough, but really he was so slow. It was harder to accept her death than Cash's. A tribe leader is obligated to defend the tribe at all costs and so his death was a given against Bingo. However, our mother was innocent, and Bingo killed her for no reason at all, only because he had despised Sinatra and Cash."

"What happened to your sister? Did she leave with the others?"

Benny flinched, tensing a little. Chloe thought she had struck something within him, and began to think she had went too far.

"Nah, she came with us. But...she...disappeared."

Again, the suite was enveloped in silence after Benny's story. Chloe took a moment to let it all sink in. Benny checked the time across from her.

"I better head down to the main floor and take care of some business before the meeting."

Chloe got to her feet with him. "Yeah, I should go check on my friends. I'll meet you in the front lobby before we head over there."

Benny nodded. "Alright, baby. Swank will be comin' with us. I'll see you then."

Chloe got Rex up and they headed out of the Tops to go check on the others and get ready for the meeting between the Three Families in the LVB Building. For some reason, Benny's story was stuck in her head, making her want to think that he wasn't as bad as he came out to be on the surface.


	11. My Baby Knows How to Swing

### Chapter 10: My Baby Knows How to Swing

It was quiet up in the Presidential Suite of the Lucky 38 save for Rex's panting or occasional scratching. Chloe didn't know why, but she suddenly felt exhausted by the time she reached the floor. She dropped her accessories off to the side so she could plop on her queen sized bed in her room. The cyber-dog laid at her feet now, and she had long been lost in thought. She should have been taking this time to catch up on some sleep before the meeting, but her thoughts were swarming with her current predicament.

She rubbed her forehead, slightly bent over while sitting on the bed. She backtracked her thoughts, replaying every event in her head from since she first arrived to New Vegas. From taking the courier job to now, she felt even more lost than before. She came here for the sake of her father, maybe to get revenge for him from the Legion. Chloe was far from that. She was getting into something way out of her control.

Chloe kept telling herself she needed to get out of here before it was too late. She wasn't a coward. She just knew that she was playing with fire. Then again, her instincts were telling her to keep on going with what she was doing now. It made no sense, as it had nothing to do with her father or finding her own self redemption.

Then there was Jacob. He was searching for her. Chloe wanted to feel happy and excited that he had come to find her after months apart. She wasn't feeling as happy as she thought she should, but she blamed it on being distracted, maybe even uncertain. She knew she would have to find him and tell him everything.

Rex whined, sitting up to peer at her with a cocked head. Chloe broke from her tense thoughts, smiling weakly at the dog and reached up to pet behind his ear. She knew now would be her only chance to take a nap. Later tonight, Chloe wanted to spoil herself with a bath and wash her dirty wasteland clothes. She reached over to grab her Pip-Boy that she had left on the nightstand. As she was working to set an alarm to wake her up, she heard the elevator in the hallway pull up, and the doors dinged open.

Rex was on his paws instantly, looking to the door to her bedroom and getting in front of her. Chloe got to her feet when she saw Victor roll up to her in the bedroom. She sat the Pip-Boy down on the bed, smiling slightly at the cowboy faced Securitron.

"Howdy, Chloe! Why, you look a little down in the dumps!"

"Just deep in thought," she told him.

"Mr. House would like to speak to you! Somethin' about the meeting, I reckon."

Chloe sighed, nodding. She looked down at her dog. "Stay, Rex. I'll be right back."

Rex growled at her, which ended up turning into a whine. Giggling, Chloe kneeled to give the dog some loving for a moment before following Victor onto the elevator and heading up to the Penthouse to speak to the de facto ruler of New Vegas. Once they hit the top floor, she was again greeted by Jane, who was just giddy to see her. Chloe followed the same path down to the large monitor screen where House's picture was on and waiting for her.

"Yes, Mr. House?" Chloe greeted, looking up at the screen.

"Ah, Miss Maye, I am delighted I was able to speak to you directly before the meeting. I would like for you to dress into something a little more formal than the wasteland clothes you have on right now. Since you are working for me, I would appreciate it if you dress that you do. This is not simply to keep up my reputation, but it will also get the Families to step lightly around you, so they will take you seriously. In a way, it will protect you."

Chloe grinded her teeth together, trying not to flinch. "Alright."

"You don't have to worry about your weapons or anything. The Families are ordered not to bring any to the meeting, and I will also have Securitrons and NCR soldiers around. I'm not worried about the White Gloves causing any trouble, but the animosity between the Omertas and the Chairmen goes far back. Now, I will let Jane pick out some outfits for you."

Jane was already rolling up. Chloe turned to face her. The Securitron with the smiling show lady waved at her. "Hello again, sugar! I'm just going to scan your size real quick!" A blue light flashed out from under her small monitor screen, and scanned Chloe's body. "Why ain't you a petite and athletic little thing? I should have a few outfits picked out shortly. I will send them down with Victor, if you want to go ahead and go, sugar!"

"Thanks," Chloe mumbled. She went to leave, but House was not finished yet.

"Wait just a moment, Miss Maye," he said as the courier turned to face him. "There is something I have been meaning to ask you. You are Colby Maye's daughter…aren't you?"

Chloe's heart skipped a beat. For a moment she forgot how to breathe or speak. She clumsily nodded her head, staring up at the big monitor screen in awe. She stepped forward quickly.

"How do you know him?"

"I do not know him, just know of him," House answered simply. "He has done many missions for the NCR. There was only one bounty he failed at claiming for them. And that was taking out the Coyote of the West. Nearly got himself killed over it, but then again, the Coyote was known to have killed over twenty NCR soldiers by mere trickery alone."

_Oh the irony…_

Chloe and Benny were more connected than she previously thought. But it soon made her wonder curiously. If Cash had been so hard to kill by many others, why had he fallen so easily to Bingo? Chloe had the feeling that something wasn't playing out right with that story.

She shook out of her thoughts. "Yeah, well, he's gone now. Legion took him away…he's probably dead."

"Is that why you are here? Are you searching for him? If I recall, you traveled from New Reno. That is a very long distance to travel just to take a courier job in a region you do not even know."

Chloe looked away. "There are many reasons why I came here."

"Well, in that case, I think I can help you, Chloe. Your father is very much alive."

Those words made Chloe snap her attention back to Mr. House, her lungs suddenly getting a gust full of air from the sharp intake she took. Those were the words she had wanted to hear for weeks now, but knew that life wasn't so fair. Even now with House saying it with no hint of deceit in his tone, she couldn't believe, was afraid to.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I know everything that is going on in this region. Why wouldn't I? Now, from what I have heard through various information from both the NCR and Caesar's Legion is that Colby Maye was captured at Falling Rock near Quinn. He is wanted for several accounts by Caesar himself."

Those words immediately made Chloe think back to Benny's words about her father being set up at Falling Rock. She swallowed hard.

House had to have been telling the truth. Chloe couldn't think of any other way of him making it up or leading her on. She grew defensive, knowing there was a catch coming up. House was going to want something for the information on her father's location.

"When you bring me the Platinum Chip and complete your contract to me, I will tell you where your father is located. However, I suggest that you do not go rushing to save him, for you will definitely be killed. If you continue to work for me after the delivery of the Platinum Chip, I can guarantee your father's safe return."

She knew it. She knew he was going to pull something like that. Chloe remained quiet, taking in his words and literally shaking with emotion. House's picture on screen never moved, silent and staring.

"The meeting starts soon, you better be rushing off to get ready. Remember my words, Miss Maye, and I hope you consider them wisely."

Chloe didn't say anything. She turned and ran from the monitor, heading for the elevator as fast as she could with tears stinging her eyes.

*************************************************************************************************************************************

"Well? What do you think?"

Rex cocked his head, his brain case flashing with a light. "Aroo?"

Chloe weakly smiled. "I talk to you as if you're going to talk right back. One day you will, and then I am gonna shit my pants."

Rex barked, wagging his tail and standing to his paws. Chloe looked one last time in the full length mirror. Out of the three outfits that Jane had picked out for her and sent down with Victor, Chloe had chosen black dress pants with matching shoes, along with a light blue blouse with flared sleeves that was also tight and showed a bit of cleavage.

Truthfully, she felt naked without her weapons and well worn wasteland clothes and armor. She was taking a big risk going out like this, but it did feel nice to dress up for once. Chloe heard the elevator ding and the doors slide open in the hallway. She knew it wasn't Boone, Cass, and ED-E. She had called them on her cell phone and they were still out investigating ambushed caravan sites. According to Boone, they hadn't had much trouble getting around save for a couple of Bloatflies and wild dogs.

She heard Veronica's laughter, Lily's rough voice, and Raul's thick Mexican accent echo down to her location. She and Rex went out to greet them. Veronica and Raul's jaws dropped open when they saw her.

"Damn girl, you look hot!" Veronica exclaimed. "Got something special you're going to?"

"Yeah, the meeting between the Three Families tonight."

"You look great, pumpkin!" Lily said.

"Eres muy hermosa!"

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Raul's words. "Huh?"

The ghoul chuckled. "Oh, sorry, boss. I said you are very beautiful."

"Thanks! So how was the Ultra-Luxe?"

"Very nice! The layout of the casino area was just beautiful, and their rooms are like first-class!" Veronica explained, grinning.

"They were really nice, boss. Though, I couldn't help but to be a little uncomfortable around some of them, even though they were just as nice. Definitely hiding something, I think."

"Oh Raul, you worry too much," Veronica snorted, waving the ghoul off.

"Have fun at your meeting, dear! Grandma's gotta go take her medicine!" Lily said, and then slipped by to go to her room.

"Yeah, good luck. I'm gonna go soak in the bathtub!" Veronica said. The Brotherhood Scribe patted Chloe on the shoulder and was off.

Raul smiled weakly at her. "Be careful, boss."

"I will, Raul."

Chloe made Rex stay behind as well and headed out on her own. She took the elevator down to the casino floor, and then waltzed out of the front doors with the Securitrons watching her. She took the glimmering white stairs down to the street and headed for the Tops.

Her mind immediately ventured back to House's words about her father being alive. She kept trying to tell herself that House was only playing her, that it couldn't be possible for her father to be alive. Though there was no hint of deceit in his voice, he could have still been lying and tricking her. Then again, Chloe felt she needed to get the Platinum Chip back to him right away. She couldn't take the chance if it meant that her father could be alive.

It was Mr. House that was angering her though. Chloe knew he wanted his plans to be brought out before he was going to tell her where her dad was located. And though the courier felt compelled to go to Benny and get the Chip back by any means necessary, she knew she would have to find another way. She wasn't going to let Mr. House use her or her father.

She let the thoughts drop as she entered the Tops. The Strip was already starting to turn its lights on as the evening slowly grew darker and darker by the descending sun. Chloe saw Martin look up from talking to Swank. The younger Chairman, who was busy getting a drink from his glass, choked and let alcohol spit out from his mouth. He gawked at her. Swank gave Martin an odd look until he too noticed Chloe and his jaw hung open. He strolled over to her, smiling wide.

"Hellllooo! Doll, you look smoking! You razz my berries, I think I'm real gone."

"Huh?" Chloe giggled, not getting his slang.

Martin walked over. "He means you look gorgeous and impressive and he thinks he is very much in love with you."

"Really, though, doll, I should just send you home right away," Swank quickly quipped.

"Why?"

Swank grinned. "Because Benny will not be able to focus at all. I kinda need him at this meeting, and if you stick around he probably won't even notice if a bomb drops on the place."

Martin snorted in laughter. "Ain't that the truth."

Chloe shook her head, laughing. "Oh come on. I don't look that good. House made me dress up, and that's the only reason why I'm wearing this."

"Well, I guess that means no one should have to worry at the meeting. Everyone will be glued to you," Martin stated, smiling slyly.

Swank shook his head. "Actually, we definitely wouldn't want Nero to take any interest in her. He sees a woman he wants, he gets her in one way or another." Swank looked to Chloe. "And they never tend to come back."

"Thanks, what a way to make me feel even better about my run-in with him earlier today."

Swank raised an eyebrow. "So you've met him huh? How? What happened?"

Chloe shrugged. "Bumped into each other, literally. He mainly was just rude and asked questions about me and House."

Before Swank could answer, Martin slapped him lightly in the shoulder and pointed. Swank and Chloe followed Martin's finger to see Benny was on his way up to them near the front desk. Chloe could tell that Benny noticed her when she saw that sly, handsome grin spread on his face.

Swank rolled his eyes. "Oh boy, here we go. I told ya."

"Hello!" Benny exclaimed, rubbing his palms as he walked over, checking Chloe out, shoving Martin aside, who yelped. "Ring-a-ding pussycat! You're lookin' like an 18 karat prize!"

"Thanks," Chloe said, blushing.

"You said you weren't gonna dress up, babe. You sure did lie to me! Is this not considered dressing up to you? Because if so, honey, I would die to see you dress up!"

"Relax, House just made me wear it. He wanted me to dress up for the meeting so I had to do it."

Swank stepped over to Chloe and Benny. "We better get going. Who's being put in charge while we're gone? Martin? Dean? Tommy? Even though it's his birthday?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Benny mumbled, eyes still on Chloe.

Chloe giggled after Swank glared at her. He then walked over to tell Martin to take over while they were gone. They left the Tops, walking with each other across the street to the LVB Station. The old brick and concrete building didn't look as glamorous as the casinos, but it did hold great importance to the NCR for the monorail that could transport them back and forth from the Strip and Camp McCarran. Chloe saw a woman dressed in a faint pink 50s style dress with only one strap. Her hair was short brown and proper and she was walking with a taller, thin man dressed in a black European style suit with a black top hat. He had a thin black mustache and seemed to be speaking to the woman in a hushed tone as they reached the concrete steps that would lead them up to the front entrance of the LVB Station.

"That's Marjorie and Mortimer. They're the leaders of the White Gloves. We don't know much about the tribe they came from, only that Marjorie was the chief. She must be one tough broad, because there aren't much female tribe leaders around. They are very secretive about their past, which to us, brings an uncertainty," Swank explained as they neared the concrete steps as well. "We were nomadic, which meant we knew many tribes as we traveled around, but we never once bumped into their tribe."

Benny was looking down the street to his left, his face turning into a hard scowl. Chloe and Swank followed his gaze to see Nero, Big Sal, and Cachino walking their way. Chloe immediately recognized Nero, but Swank had to point out the other two. Nero had taken his black fedora off, and so the only person wearing one was Big Sal. Sal looked the oldest out of the brothers, his skin a bit tanner as well. Even Cachino looked older than Nero, but Chloe couldn't be sure. Cachino wore the same styled suits as the other two Omertas, with a shaved head and was also the shortest out of the three.

The sudden tension she felt coming from Benny was surprising. She wasn't expecting him to lose his cool in a sense, but he and Swank were both glaring at the three brothers walking and getting closer. It was like electricity was violently popping in the air, that was how thick the tension was. Nero made it a point to speed up his steps, a sleazy grin coming on his face. Chloe figured now would be a good time to get inside, but she wasn't sure she was going to get through to Benny.

"Ahh, Swank. We should go."

Marjorie and Mortimer had already entered the building while they were still at the bottom of the concrete stairs. It was too late by the time Swank heard her.

"Well, well, well look what we got here, boys," Nero sneered, stopping not far from Benny, Swank, and Chloe.

"A couple of half-wits and a pretty gal that doesn't fit in with their crowd," Big Sal said, twitching a smirk. Big Sal had a slow, thick accent that Chloe didn't recognize.

Cachino stayed quiet, but was glaring at the Chairmen. Chloe figured Nero sent Cachino as message boy when he wanted to inform the other two Families about something, hence why Cachino had shown up the night before.

"No one likes a crumb, Nero," Benny stated calmly.

"Touché, Benny boy. So, where are your bodyguards at? I thought you never go anywhere without them."

"You jealous that my tribe holds more respect for me than yours does for you?" Benny snorted.

"What do you know about respect?" Big Sal snapped.

"Apparently a lot more than what you know about anything, Sally."

"Alright, alright," Swank quickly put in. "We should head inside now."

"Always the peacemaker, aren't ya Swanky?" Nero chuckled. "Gotta look after your baby brother and take his orders like a whipped French maid."

"Well, since you point it out like that, I'm sure 'ol Sal knows exactly how I feel then," Swank answered coolly.

Sal glared at Swank hard. Nero was quick to change the subject when he looked Chloe over. "Well, you certainly look a lot better since we bumped into each other last. I thought you were working for House, baby? Why are you with these losers then?"

"Well, it's certainly better than bumping into another dirty rat along the way," Chloe replied just as calmly.

She was expecting anger or agitation to come from her response to the Omerta leader; instead she received a coy, handsome smirk that made her even more nervous. Needless to say, that totally backfired.

Two Securitrons rolled up, catching the tense group's attention. "Move along, Mr. House is waiting."

"After you, punks," Benny said, glaring at Nero.

"Such a wise guy," Nero snorted. "One of these days, Benny. You just might find yourself whacked, so watch your back."

"I won't have to watch too hard, I can smell ya guys coming a mile away."

The Omertas headed up the concrete stairs first, not looking back. Chloe was relieved that was over. She felt she could finally breathe now. Benny also relaxed, as did Swank, who shook his head.

"They make me sick."

"C'mon," Benny said, heading up the stairs.

Chloe and Swank exchanged looks, and then followed the Chairmen leader into the LVB Building. Inside the first room, which was set up as a large office, Chloe could tell things had been switched around and a long, oval table was in the middle of the room for the Three Families to sit down at. A few NCR soldiers were posted with weapons, as well as a few Securitrons. Chloe saw the Securitron standing at the head of the table had Mr. House's picture on its small monitor screen. Benny, Swank, and Chloe sat down at the end of the table. Chloe could tell that all Three Families had purposely sat as far away from each other as possible, whether it was a couple of chairs down or just plain on one side. Marjorie and Mortimer sat nearest to House, looking prim and proper. Nero, Big Sal, and Cachino sat directly across from them looking bored. Nero even leaned back in his chair, slapping his boots down on the table with his arms behind his head and receiving disgusted looks from Marjorie and Mortimer.

"It's wonderful to see that everyone made it here in one piece. Nero, get your feet off the table please," House greeted.

Nero growled, sliding his feet off the table, and glaring at the Securitron with House's picture on screen. "Of course, how improper of me."

"Let's get down to business shall we?" House suggested. "Now, we are getting near the end of this fiscal year. We all remember last fiscal year's meeting. It will be hard to beat Marjorie's numbers, but it wouldn't be right to announce that all three casinos have had a tremendous boost in profits because of the NCR's numbers pouring in, as well as your own individual ideas to attract customers."

Marjorie sat a little higher, smiling proudly. "I am delighted to tell you, Mr. House, that Mortimer and I will be adding two more attractions to the Ultra-Luxe, and we also have finished refurbishing three more hotel rooms."

Chloe saw Nero roll his eyes.

Mortimer then spoke up. "And it looks as though we are going to only have a couple death accounts in our hotel as well, which will be a new record for this year."

House's picture flickered a bit on the Securitron's screen. "Ah, yes. I've been meaning to go over that topic as well. I know it is impossible to prevent death accounts seeing as how many of the travelers coming in here could be raiders, drug dealers, and criminals. Those are impressively low numbers, Mortimer. I know the Tops has had only eleven this year, and Gomorrah has nearly thirty. I know many of those are in protection of your casino, but I also recall many of those are overdoses from the drugs you sell, Nero."

"Hey, I can't help if those dumb-shits overdose on our products. That's their fault."

"Of course, how dare I forget such a reasonable excuse," House replied, tone full of bitter sarcasm.

Chloe looked to Benny and Swank, noticing that they looked just as bored as the Omertas. Swank looked a little more focused than Benny, who was leaned back in his chair with his hands laced behind his head. Benny was right; all she was getting from this meeting was a big headache, mostly caused by the Omerta brothers.

"Do the three of you even try to act civilized?" Marjorie asked, glaring across the table at Nero.

"Here we go," Swank mumbled.

Benny leaned in to whisper in Chloe's ear. "I told you this was gonna be a waste of time, pussycat. I would much rather be up in my suite with you instead, dig?"

His breath on her ear sent a jolt through her. Chloe smiled, putting her finger on his lips and pushing him back. "Not even a chance."

"Ouch," he chuckled. "But I do deserve it."

They missed out how the heated debate started, but now Cachino was arguing with Mortimer and Big Sal was arguing with Marjorie while Nero had the biggest grin on his face like he was drawing in all the negative energy to strengthen himself. Chloe saw NCR soldiers whispering to each other while watching.

House had to yell above them. "Alright, that is enough! Usually it is the Omertas and Chairmen arguing. I'm surprised in you, Marjorie."

"I'm sorry, sir, but they just aggravate me knowing that they take advantage of you."

"Benjamin, why are you so quiet tonight? Usually you are just full of smart-aleck quips," House asked.

Benny was looking at Chloe, dark eyes twinkling slyly, but turned just enough to glance over at the Securitron that had House's picture on screen. "Huh? Oh sorry, just have too many things on my mind I guess."

Chloe shook her head, slightly smiling. _Boy, he never gives up…_

The meeting resumed after that. It was slow, with lots of sharp remarks from the Three Families trying to stab each other. Chloe mainly observed, though a question from Mr. House occasionally was directed at her. She never failed to notice Benny watching her. That didn't bother her near as much as the looks she was getting from Nero.

After the meeting had adjourned, Marjorie and Mortimer left first, giving sour looks to the Omertas. House told Chloe in front of everyone he wanted to speak to her in his Penthouse as soon as possible, and then his picture went blank on the Securitron and was replaced with the normal cartoon head of a grumpy cop.

Nero and his brothers stood up and started out, but paused to look at Chloe, Benny, and Swank who had just got to their feet. "Do ya always do what he as he says, baby doll?"

"Get lost, Nero," Benny snapped.

"Now why do ya gotta go and say something like that, huh? She ain't your pet. And if I recall, my question was directed at her, not you."

Chloe glared at Nero. "She has a name. It's Chloe. Hopefully, you will be able to remember it in that tiny brain of yours. As for my business with Mr. House, that really isn't any of your business is it? So, really, I think you guys can leave now."

"Wow, she's got an attitude problem, bro," Cachino stated.

"I think you need to watch your tongue, little girl," Big Sal warned. "No one talks to Nero that way."

"You heard her. Scram," Swank added, glaring at Big Sal.

There were still NCR soldiers and Securitrons on watch in the building, watching them closely. Nero held up his arm to cut Sal off, smiling slyly at Chloe.

"I'm starting to like you more and more, Chloe baby. That fire in your eyes? I dig it." Nero then looked to Big Sal and Cachino. "She's right though. We should agitate the gravel. We're in the company of bums anyway. Ciao!"

The Omertas left, letting Chloe and the others relax for a moment. She shook her head, almost shaking in agitation. "What a bastard."

"He's definitely a shuck, they all are," Swank snorted.

"C'mon, let's cash out," Benny heaved, taking lead.

They left the LVB Station and were on the street when Chloe figured she should be getting back to the Lucky 38 to talk to House. Benny and Swank paused, looking surprised that she was going to slip off.

"Aren't you comin' to our clam-bake?" Swank asked.

"What? You guys are baking clams?"

Benny laughed. "It's a party, pussycat. It's Tommy's birthday today. We're throwin' a big shindig for him."

"You haven't been to a party until you've been to the Chairmen's parties! It's the tops!" Swank chuckled.

"Oh, alright, but I should go-"

Benny snagged her arm, pulling her forward. "Forget about House! He ain't going anywhere, honey baby!"

They headed across the street, straight for the Tops. Chloe glanced over her shoulder to the tall ivory tower that was the Lucky 38 just down the street with all its flashing lights and the brightest white light of all at the top that could be seen all across the Mojave Wasteland.

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Chloe lost count of how long the party went on, she was having so much fun. Tommy definitely was charming, and was older than most of the Chairmen with an eye patch over one eye from an old injury in the tribe days. He ran the Aces Theater on the second floor of the Tops. There were drinks, good food, music, dancing, karaoke, and even discounts for the customers that were there for gambling.

It was here that Chloe was able to meet a few of the women leftover from Benny's tribe. There was Elaine, June, and Ladybird. Ladybird was called Lady for short. Then there was Shirley, who was actually pregnant by Tommy.

She later found herself in Benny's suite talking and recovering from the party they had just retired from. The party had been a blast. Chloe felt the happiest she had in a long time. It had really let her comfortably forget about her problems and worries for once.

Benny brought her a glass of wine and sat it down on the table in front of her, and then went to sit down across from her with his own glass. Chloe smiled down at the glass, taking it to get a sip.

"If I didn't know better, Benny, I'd say you were trying to get me drunk."

Benny chuckled. "Aw, baby that hurts. You'd think I would stoop so low? Then again, interesting things happen when people are smashed."

"Well, I do gotta say, for a guy who goes around shooting couriers in the head, you sure can dance."

"Thanks…I guess."

"Do you sing too?"

"Hell no, pussycat. I don't do any acts up in the Aces Theater if that is what you're insinuating. It's just not in my groove, dig? How 'bout you?"

"Nope!"

Benny got to his feet, walking over to her. "Do ya have any particular talents, baby?"

"Surviving gunshots to the skull, I presume," Chloe answered, smiling softly up at him. "What kind of talents are we talking here? I grew up surviving the wastelands and working as a mercenary with my father. My talents usually include on how to take care of myself and others."

Benny offered his hand for her to take while she sat there on the sofa. She looked from his hand to him, seeing that handsome smile. For a moment it looked as though the Devil was offering her his hand, her head swarming with warnings. Her body, however, wouldn't listen for some reason, and she knew it was getting risky. She ignored them, and took his hand.

Benny gracefully pulled her to her feet. They had danced a few times down at the party, and so Chloe felt a bit more comfortable this close to him, even though her mind kept trying to warn her to stay on guard. He kissed her scar once more, moving his lips down to her ear.

"Are you feeling the same temptation as I am, baby?"

Chloe closed her eyes, knowing this was dangerous territory. "Even if I did, it would still be wrong."

Benny kissed her temple this time. "So wrong…yet so right."

He kissed her fully on the lips, catching her off guard. Chloe groaned softly into the kiss, slowly returning it. They kissed over and over, Chloe started to lose track of her surroundings as more and more pulsing electricity hit her brain. She felt his hands sliding up under her blouse to feel her soft skin.

"I think...we should...talk," she mumbled, trying to defuse the situation.

The Fox grinned slyly at her again, making her heart jolt. "Nah, baby, I think these lips of ours have appointments to be elsewhere."

She tried to tell herself this was all a part of his plan, that he would seduce her to get what he wanted and that was when he would turn on her, like everyone had warned her about. But that dangerous, charming gleam in his eyes attracted her to him. He kissed her long and hard again, and she felt him guiding her somewhere and her feet were minding him just fine.

The next thing Chloe realized was that they were in Benny's bedroom tossing clothes. She tried to reason with her brain, but it was completely overflowing to where nothing was reasonable. He whispered sweet things in her ear as he kissed her, his hands gliding along her soft skin. Her body shook with desire as they collapsed onto his bed kissing, groping, and moaning.

*************************************************************************************************************************************

Benny stood over near his queen-sized bed, watching Chloe sleep soundly. It had taken him much patience and caution to untangle himself from her under the blankets to get up and about without waking her. He was already dressed and ready to go. He checked his watch, seeing it was nearly six in the morning. The flashing neon lights from outside that danced into the bedroom was enough to make him see easily. Benny knew he needed to head out right away, but he also had to speak to his brother first. He had already spoken to Yes Man and got his things together. He was on his way to Fortification Hill.

The night they had was incredible. She really knew how to swing. He even told her so. He also had admitted to falling in love with those charlies of hers. She seemed to enjoy it as much as he did. After they were exhausted with their round, they even talked for some time while snuggled under the blankets. Benny didn't think it was going to be a night he would ever forget.

Benny had gathered Chloe's clothes and supplies, folding them nicely and placing them on the nearby dresser. He thought over all she had been through, and what he had done to her. Hell, he had even planned on killing her when she was least expecting it when she showed up here, but she had proved to be too damn irresistible. And now he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with it at all, not after last night. He slipped Maria away in his coat, bending over to kiss her on the scar she bore from him. In all honesty, he was surprised he didn't wake up with a knife in his chest, really. Maybe she had really forgiven him, and they could move forward with no doubt. That's really all Benny could ask for, because she really was an angel. He decided to write her a note before he left, placing it on her neatly folded clothes. He then left his suite quietly, and made his way down to see Swank.

Swank was yawning, just having got himself a cup of coffee and was heading to his post at the front desk to start his shift and take over from another Chairmen when Benny caught him. His brother looked at him curiously, as if surprised to his see his younger half-brother up and about so early.

"Holy hell, what're you doing up so early?" Swank asked.

"Listen, Swank, I have some important matters to go deal with. I'll be gone for a few days so you are in charge."

"Wait a minute, what about Chloe?" Swank growled.

"She's still sleepin', don't wake her up."

"You're heading to the Fort aren't you? Are you suicidal or what, hey?"

"Don't worry about me," Benny sighed.

"So why aren't you taking Chloe? I thought you two were in this together?"

"We are…I just…want her to stay safe, is all. She's had close calls with the Legion…I'm just trying to prevent anymore. It will be easier if I just get over there and get out with just myself anyways."

Swank grumbled, shaking his head. "You better drag your ass back here in one piece, I do not wanna permanently become chief."

"Just take care of my gal while I'm out, dig?" Benny retorted. "Everything will be fine with me, just treat her the absolute best, like family, hey?"

"Should've known you were gonna sleep with her," Swank said, sipping his coffee. "I hear ya, I hear ya, get going."

"Don't be jealous, Swank. I called dibs on her fair and square."

Swank rolled his eyes. "I don't think shooting her in the head counts as calling dibs on her, bro. The irony…you shoot her, but yet you get to sleep with her too. How does that make sense?"

Benny shrugged, smirking. "Who knows, I must be one lucky cat! Well, I'm cashing out."

"You know she's gonna follow you and I won't be able to stop her, right?"

"I'm countin' on you to make sure that she doesn't, dig?" Benny replied, his tone a warning.

He then turned and left, exiting the Tops and setting out, leaving Swank to shake his head and feel worry flood his chest. He checked the time, knowing he would let Chloe sleep in. If she didn't come down on her own, then he would have to go up there and get her. He just hoped Benny knew what he was doing. The guys often joked about calling their chief a suicide king, because although Benny didn't look it, he hardly showed fear, and his brother feared one day it would get him killed.


	12. The Mark of Caesar

### Chapter 11: The Mark of Caesar

The sun was peeking in, and Chloe could hear the faint music of Frank Sinatra playing from somewhere in the building. She was snuggled under the blankets, cozy, but also naked. Her head was pounding, too much booze and sex, she was sure. She felt along the bed to find that she was alone. No surprise there. The courier fluttered her eyes open, looking around the vacant room until her eyes landed on a nearby clock. Her eyes widened as she saw it was nearing noon.

Chloe cursed, falling out of bed and frantically looking for her clothes. She knew House was not going to be happy that she never showed up to talk to him. Her body and muscles ached in certain areas as she moved about in haste. She found her clothes neatly folded on the nearby dresser, but there was also a note lying on top of them. Chloe took it, scanning over the scribbled words and realizing it was from Benny.

_Pussycat,_

_It's nice to know that I didn't wake up with a knife in my chest. You're an angel, baby. Talk about platinum in the sack last night! You know how to swing! Where'd you learn that 18 karat trick with the heels of your feet? You didn't just make my toes curl, they popped off and rolled underneath the bed! Thanks for letting this cat have the best hey-hey he's ever-ever!_

_You'll probably take this the wrong way, but I headed off to the Fort on my own. Just know that I am trying to protect you baby, as I know you have history with the Legion. Stick around and let my boys take care of you! I'll be back before you know it, and we can get to work on our plan, and maybe even start round two if you catch my drift. Because you and me are a date, got it? Wouldn't trade it for all the caps in Vegas. Don't get clingy and try to follow me, stay on the Strip where you are safe. Ta-Ta._

_Benny_

"You sneaky little bastard!" Chloe snapped, growling.

She grabbed her clothes, trying to work them on as she stepped out of the bedroom into Benny's living room. She had succeeded pulling her underwear and dress pants on and was in the process of pulling on her bra when the front door of the suite opened. Swank caught sight of her quickly, raising an eyebrow with a hand still on the doorknob.

"Look away!"

"Huh? Oh sorry." Swank slapped a hand over his eyes. "Baby, it isn't anything I haven't seen before!"

"Where the hell is Benny? Has he left yet? I'm gonna kick his ass!"

Swank chuckled. "Sorry, doll. He left early this morning. You really slept in. You must've needed the rest."

"Alright, I'm fully dressed now," Chloe sighed. She sat down to put on her dress shoes. She couldn't wait to get back to the Lucky 38 and get her normal clothes back on. "How could I be so stupid?" She rubbed her temples.

Swank walked around to her, looking curious. "What do ya mean?"

"Sleeping with him," she answered, she tried to brush her hair with her fingers. "I wasn't thinking. I can't believe I had sex with the guy who shot me in the face."

"Look, I tried to stop Benny, but he just wanted to look out for you in his own, weird way. My brother can be a bastard sometimes, but I see where he's coming from this. You have bad history with the Legion. He was just tryin' to make things easier for you, dig? As for you sleeping with him, I'm gonna stay out of it. Just know that he didn't take it as a one night stand. The rest of the Chairmen and myself were given strict orders to treat you like family."

"Family, huh?" Chloe asked, relaxing a little.

"Of course," Swank answered, smiling. He watched Chloe get to her feet, looking at a note that she stuffed in her pocket. "I'm pretty sure the entire Strip knows what happened between you two, by the way. Just so you aren't surprised."

"What?" Chloe whirled around, eyes wide. "You're kidding, right?"

"Well, Benny told all the guys and well…some of them can't keep their mouths shut. And besides that…it wasn't as though you guys were quiet about it."

Chloe slapped her palm to her forehead. "Okay…I better get out of here now. I need to chase after Benny before he gets himself killed so I can kill him instead."

"He told me not to let you follow him."

Chloe glared at Swank. "And what are you going to do to prevent me from going?"

"Absolutely nothing. I say it's your call," Swank answered simply.

Chloe heaved another sigh. "It's my father. He could be at the Fort. House is trying to blackmail me into doing his errands before he will tell me where the Legion has my father. But he has to be at the Fort. I should have told Benny that, maybe he would have let me come with him."

"Why didn't you, doll?"

"Well first of all, I wasn't expecting to have sex with him," she grumbled. "Second, I guess I was just uncertain about the whole thing."

"Do what you gotta do, doll. As much as I would like to prevent you from going, it would be wrong of me to do so. I hope you find your father. And please bring Benny's ass back here so I don't have to do his job anymore."

Chloe smiled up at him. "Thanks, Swank. What's wrong, don't like being in charge?"

"There are times I wish I was in charge of the tribe, but I would rather my brother be alive. The only reason why I'm worrying is because it's the Legion. Benny might not look like a scrapper, but he really is. I mean, he killed Bingo with a knife. That cat was 6'3" and weighed over 300 pounds! Cash taught him a lot, and if I recall, there weren't many tougher than Cash."

"When we were talking last night, he told me he got into two bad fights with Nero when the Omertas first came to the Strip."

Swank scowled. "Yeah. House definitively wasn't expecting it. We've been at it with the Slither Kin for so long, that as soon as Nero saw Benny, bam the fight was on. In that scuffle, Nero killed one of our own, he was only fifteen. That was nothing compared to the second round. Nero and Benny got into it, and Nero almost killed Benny with a knife to the ribs. He was lucky the Followers got to him in time."

"What caused the second fight? Benny wouldn't go into details."

Swank slowly nodded. "Yeah, for good reason. Did he tell you he had a sister?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, kinda. I could tell he didn't want to talk about her though."

"Her name was Melody. She was younger than him by a few years, came with us to the Strip, helped us renovate the Tops. Benny had always been super protective of her, even before making chief. Well, one day, she disappeared. Just like that, poof. We looked all over for her, finally we had some NCR scouts sayin' they saw her talking to the Omertas the other day...one of them in particular, ya dig? Benny...he confronted Nero, accused him of her disappearance, said he was gonna kill him for it. The fight was on then...Benny lost that fight, almost his life had it not been for the Followers. We've never got answers, and Benny? Well, it changed him...he's never let it go...blames himself, said he failed at protecting her."

Chloe closed her eyes, heart hurting. No wonder Benny had flinched when she had asked him about his sister. It opened up a whole new view into why the leader of the Chairmen was the way he was.

"And House didn't do anything about that? He didn't try and find Melody?"

"He wasn't around at the time, so his excuse was that he wasn't gonna listen to the stories and to stop or all of us would be thrown back out into the wasteland again."

"Sounds about right," Chloe responded, mildly shaking her head. "I understand why he didn't want to talk about it now."

Swank scratched his head, weakly shrugging. "Don't take it personal, it's hard for even me to get him to talk about it."

Chloe nodded, thinking. "Well, thank you for telling me. I can...understand him better now."

She then sighed. "I better get to the Lucky 38. I'm sure House is pissed that I never showed up last night to talk to him after the meeting. Guess I can blame you Chairmen and the party."

Swank smiled, relieved in the change in topic. "You had fun though. Admit it."

"A blast," Chloe laughed. "It was good to forget about my worries for once. Thanks, Swank."

Swank nodded. "I'll walk with you down to the lobby."

On their way down to the front lobby, if Chloe thought the Chairmen could get any nicer, they just did with her. They asked if they could get her anything, or if she had a great time at the party. Swank shooed most of them off, but when they got down to the lobby where Martin was at the front desk, the young Chairman grinned and leaned on the desk as she came over.

"Did someone have a good night?"

"Martin, don't make me stick my foot up your ass," Swank warned.

"What?! I meant the party."

"Sure you did."

Chloe giggled. "Alright you two. I guess I'm heading out."

Martin's eyes widened, and he shot a look at Swank. "The boss is gonna kill you!"

"Just be careful, doll. I'm sure you know the Legion well."

"I will. I'll be back with Benny, and hopefully my father."

Chloe went to leave, but Swank quickly called her name, causing her to stop and look back at him. Swank seemed unsure, scratching at the back of his head.

"Really, I should send one of the guys to walk with you to the Lucky 38."

She smiled at him. "I'll be fine, Swank. You're such a gentleman."

She left after that, quickly heading straight over to the Lucky 38. The hot sun was already beating down onto the Strip. Many travelers, gamblers, and NCR troopers were walking about. Securitrons were rolling around and were also posted in certain areas.

"Miss Maye?"

The male's voice right behind her caused her to jump, but she spun around. There was a man in a black suit as well as a black derby hat. The man was handsome, pale, and slender, but he was also familiar. Chloe didn't like him, she could feel evil radiating off of him like the sulfuric smell of a Cazador.

"Remember me?" he asked, voice cool and velvety. She could tell by how he talked and how he looked at her with those dark eyes of his that he was very intelligent.

"No."

"Remember Nipton?"

Her mouth went dry. Chloe clenched her jaw, it all coming back. Before her stood the leader of the Frumentarri. This was Vulpes Inculta, she didn't recognize him without his Legion armor and fox pelt on his head. He had raided the town of Nipton when Chloe, Cass, and ED-E were passing through. He killed and ravaged everyone, and crucified others, some were burned on stakes.

"Vulpes!" she hissed.

"That's right, but how about you stay a bit quieter, woman? I'm here to tell you that Caesar wants to see you personally."

Chloe was baffled and shocked. She shook her head. "What? H-how? Why?"

"Do I really need to give you a list when you should already know why? Your father, Colby Maye, is a prisoner of Lord Caesar. He's up to some bartering, even if you are a woman. Also, it seems as though your consort is on his way there as well. If you want the two of them back, I assure you better come and see him. You are to arrive at Cottonwood Cove for your passage across the Colorado River."

Vulpes pulled out a necklace. Attached to the thin chain was a piece of red jewelry shaped into an oval with a black bull on it. Below the bull in very small writing was gold lettering in Latin. He handed it over to her, which Chloe hesitated upon taking.

"It's the Mark of Caesar. It will give you safe passage through our territory. Use it wisely."

Chloe dangled the necklace in her fingertips, as if feeling the burn of its sins. She looked to Vulpes once more, seeing his dark sneer.

"It would be wise to use Lord Caesar's invitation prudently…or you just might regret it."

With that, the leader of the Frumentarri turned and left without even looking back. Chloe watched him go until the Main Gate opened with complaining hinges, and he disappeared once it closed.

She was lost for a moment, standing in the middle of the street. She just didn't understand how they knew where to find her, as well as how they knew that Benny was on his way there. Chloe knew that the Frumentarri were Caesar's scouts and secret agents. Hence why Vulpes was dressed up like a normal gambler. Still, there was something wrong with the fact that he knew way more than what he would normally know on a regular scout run. Chloe wondered if he had any inside information, he had to of. That made her uncertain. Any single person in the Strip could be tipping off the Legion. She had to find out who, and very fast.

Chloe quickly stuffed the Mark of Caesar in her pocket, quickly jogging up the stairs to the Lucky 38. She saw Victor posted right outside the front double doors. Just as she went to greet the friendly Securitron, she heard her name called. Turning, Chloe saw Nero at the base of the steps alone. Seeing him spiked the beating of her heart, and the story Swank told her about Benny's sister immediately haunted her once more.

"Come here, baby."

She glared down at the leader of the Omertas. "What do you want, Nero?"

"How 'bout you step down here so we can talk face to face, doll? If I so much as put my heel down on the first step here, those Securitrons will fire at me."

Chloe clenched her jaw, cautiously stepping down until she was only a few feet up from Nero. He had a strange gleam in his eyes; like he knew something she didn't and was trying not to boast about it.

"You look like you had a long night, baby," Nero stated, grinning, his icy eyes scanning her body.

"Do you have something to say that is worth my time? I'm in a hurry."

"Oh that's right. You need to go chase after that conniving little fox, don't you? So, where did Benny run off to anyways?"

"I got four words for you. Words I'm sure you've heard before. None of your business. Now get lost, Nero."

"Are you sure you want to be talking to me like that?" Nero inquired, cocking his head slightly, expression icy. "You don't quite understand what I'm capable of, do you?"

"Are you sure that House isn't watching right now?" Chloe warned.

Nero chuckled, a low and cold sound that made her blood run cold. "Not-At-Home? Fuck Not-At-Home."

"Well in that case, get lost," Chloe snapped again. She turned and started walking up the stairs.

"I'll get lost, baby, but let me fill you in on a little secret. By the time you get to the Fort, your father will be moved."

His words made Chloe freeze. She slowly turned to look down at Nero, hating that dark, twisted smirk on his face. Her fists were clenched now, and she glared at him.

"Oh, looks like I finally got your attention. When you're ready to find your father, come see me. Benny and Not-At-Home have their own agendas, they don't care about you or your father. I can, however, help you. I have so many connections...I am a business man, after all."

She closed her eyes hard, turning and running up the stairs. She blew right past Victor without saying hello, entering into the Lucky 38's dim casino floor. She went straight for the elevator up ahead to go up to the Presidential Suite, but her name again was called. Only this time, she recognized the voices of friends. She looked up into the VIP Lounge upstairs on the upper balcony waving down at her. Chloe quickly took the stairs up to the lounge to greet everyone. Rex barked happily, coming straight to her with a wagging tail. He sniffed her legs curiously. ED-E also floated over, beeping in interest.

"Where the hell have you been?" Veronica asked.

Chloe could tell that her group of friends were in the middle of eating lunch. The courier quickly tried to think up a story to dissuade them. She didn't want them to know that she had slept with Benny.

"Uhh, well, I spent the night at the Tops in my own room after the meeting since I had more to discuss with Benny."

Cass rolled her eyes. "Yeah, according to your neck, you two had plenty to discuss."

Chloe consciously felt her neck, realizing she had hickies on her neck and chest. "That's not-"

"Not what?" Cass interrupted, challenging her with a raised eyebrow and a sly grin.

"It's uhh…"

"Why are you even bothering?" Boone inquired calmly.

"Yeah, boss. You're not convincing us," Raul laughed.

"Alright, fine! I slept with Benny! Are you happy?" Chloe growled, hands on her hips.

"Very kinky," Cass snickered, downing a Sunset Sarsaparilla.

Chloe heaved a sigh, rubbing her eyebrow. "It just happened okay? I wasn't planning it to happen at all."

"Oh, I'm sure he did," Veronica muttered, making the others laugh.

"Alright, you guys can laugh. I'm going up to talk to House and then I am heading out. You guys can do whatever you want."

"Whoa, whoa, what's going on, boss?"

"Is everything alright, pumpkin?" Lily inquired.

"Benny took off on his own to go to the Fort with the Platinum Chip without me. Not only that, but the leader of the Frumentarri, that Vulpes Inculta bastard, told me my father is being held prisoner and they know Benny is on his way there. I need to get them both out of there. Caesar wants to speak to me directly…bargain with me apparently to get them both back."

The lounge suddenly grew tense and quiet. Chloe felt on the spot now, very vulnerable she swore she could hear a pin drop somewhere. Most of her friends were looking at her as though she had lost her mind.

"You are going to Fortification Hill?" Veronica grunted.

"Yep."

"By yourself?"

"Well, no. I'll take Rex and ED-E."

"I'm going with you," Boone stated seriously.

Chloe shook her head. "I appreciate the gesture, but I can't have any of you get into this. You guys shouldn't have to put your lives on the line for something that doesn't concern you."

"But you've put your life on the line for us many times," Raul countered. The Mexican ghoul stared at her intently. "I agree with Boone. I'm with ya, boss."

"Grandma isn't going to leave you alone, sweetie! She'll come too!" Lily exclaimed in her rough, gravelly voice.

"I'm coming too!" Veronica added.

"Caesar only wants to see me. The rest of you will be captured or killed! No!" Chloe retorted, shaking her head.

"And what makes you think we would follow you into their camp?" Boone asked, jaw set. "You really think that you will be able to barter with Caesar? No. You're a woman, which means you'll become a slave before you even have a chance to speak about your father's release. If you want your father and Benny back alive, we are going to have to storm their camp."

Chloe grew quiet, taking in the NCR Sharpshooter's words. He had a point, and she knew he was right. Caesar wasn't going to let her go with anybody. Whatever her father did to have Caesar want him alive, the same reason was now upon her. There was no other way than to fight to her father and Benny.

She slowly nodded. "Alright. Sounds like a plan."

Boone twitched the faintest of smiles. "I thought so."

"Wait a minute. Now we're fighting?" Veronica sighed. "Well, the Legion deserves to burn in hell, so I'm still in."

"Me too," Raul added.

"Oh, Leo and I will have so much fun ripping the limbs off Legionaries!" Lily yelled with a Nightkin grin.

Everyone looked to Cass, who looked skeptical of the whole situation. The caravan driver shook her head, heaving a sigh. She slammed down the empty soda bottle. "I think ya'll are fucking batshit crazy and we're gonna die, but I'm in."

"Great!" Chloe exclaimed. "You guys get ready and I will go talk to House. I'll be down in the Presidential Suite soon."

The courier quickly left the group to head for the elevator. She was relieved her friends were rallying to go with her. It took the stress off of having to travel without much company or protection. On the other hand, she didn't like the fact that they were all risking their lives to help her.

*********************************************************************************************************

House was definitely upset, but it wasn't as though Chloe had to explain anything because the mysterious autocrat seemed to pinpoint exactly what was going on. He almost seemed to be patronizing her for her actions, and that did not go over well with Chloe.

The monitor screen didn't flick with Robert Edwin House's picture on it. "I'm giving you a great opportunity here, Miss Maye. All I ask is that you bring me the Platinum Chip and help me rebuild humanity one step at a time. I'm not the villain here. I am only trying to heal the scars of the past. But you… you are getting caught up with men of power…warlords, gods, and generals. Here you are playing with fire. Need I remind you that Benjamin betrayed me in the most dishonorable way possible? He shot you in the head, and buried you in a forgotten, shallow grave. You believe his words, Miss Maye. Benny is a master when it comes to persuasion and influence. If you do not start to be cautious around him, you might just end up in another shallow grave…for good. He has even killed one of his own, a singer by the name of Franklin. He was one of the oldest members of the old tribe to stay here in New Vegas. But he missed the tribal days, being nomadic, and he sang songs about it, always talked about wanting to go back. This started conflict within the Chairmen because many started to feel the same way. Instead of reasoning with his own tribal kin, Benny poisoned him to shut him up. Bet he didn't tell you about that, did he?"

Chloe heaved a sigh, putting up her arms. "Ok! I think we've established that I made a mistake. That doesn't stop Benny, who is on his way to Fortification Hill. I need to go after him, and I am leaving now."

"How did he figure out to go there?" House asked, tone full of suspicion.

Chloe knew she couldn't say anything about Yes Man, so she shrugged. "I don't know. When I woke up, he was long gone and Swank said that was where he was heading."

"When you get there and get the Chip, head down into the old substation. I have another monitor set up there like this one. I will be able to tell you what to do with it then."

"Fine," Chloe stated, folding her arms. "But I'm going to need caps, weapons, and supplies for me and my friends on our trip."

House was quiet at first, and then slowly replied. "Of course. I will send everything you need down with Victor. It is only fair that I supply you with what you need if you are working for me. Good luck on the trip, Miss Maye. I will call you occasionally on your cell phone for progress results."

*********************************************************************************************************

Freeside looked just as dirty and slummy as the first time they came through. It was well afternoon by the time Chloe and her companions got their supplies and headed out. House had supplied them with several weapons, ammunition, and first aid. Chloe really wanted to stop by and visit with the King, but she knew they had to keep moving fast if they were even going to get close catching up with Benny. As they were heading for the eastern gate, they saw a lot going on at Mormon Fort. People were gathered about, many were crying and fighting. There were children huddled between dumpsters, a few adults were dead just outside the gates of Mormon Fort and NCR troopers were in a boiling argument with several Kings members.

Chloe and the others came over to see what was going on. She was relieved to see Julia and Arcade discussing something with deep stress plaguing them. They noticed Chloe and her group as soon as she walked up.

"What's going on?" Chloe asked, looking around. "Was there a raid?"

Arcade was quick to answer. "The Frumentarri! They were here! They took Kyle!"

"You mean Vulpes did this?" Chloe grunted, clenching her fists. She just talked to the man.

Julia shook her head. We're not sure, happened too fast. They said something about Caesar needing a personal doctor. Luckily, the Kings came in after that, though they still managed to take Kyle. Fucking NCR didn't even show up until they were fleeing. All I know is that we aren't happy on how all this went down and we are worried about Kyle. The residents of Freeside are panicking and mad at NCR, along with the Kings. And the King himself is pissed over how NCR is not doing a damn thing. Frankly, I don't blame him. Four of his boys lost their lives trying to defend us."

"And now the residents are fighting and killing each other in their panic and we are trying our best to settle them down while the Kings and NCR argue over there," Arcade sighed, pushing up his glasses.

"Why didn't the NCR do anything? Isn't that their job?" Raul asked.

"They don't care about Freeside. They are just here waiting for House to screw up so they can annex New Vegas," Julia answered, folding her arms.

"We're heading to the Fort. We got business there. We'll get Kyle back," Chloe told them, dipping her head. "Don't worry."

"Why are you heading there?" Arcade asked, eyebrow rising. He sounded worried.

"Caesar has my father. It's payback time."

"I don't mean to be rude here," Julia interrupted. "But how the hell are you going to do that without getting killed?"

"Hopefully, we'll figure that out on the way," Chloe answered, receiving glares from her friends.

"And we should go if you want to reach Novac before dark. It's not good to be stuck out in that territory after dark," Boone stated.

"Right, we should be heading out. Good luck, Julie, Arcade. We'll do our best to get Kyle back for you."

"Wait! I want to go with you," Arcade blurted.

Julie looked to her fellow Follower. "What? But Arcade-"

"They were going to take me in the first place, and he got them to take him instead. I owe him this much, more really."

Chloe slowly nodded. "Alright. Only if you are sure about this, Arcade."

"I am."

*********************************************************************************************************

"If Aaron was here now, boy would he be getting a ranting from me," Chloe grumbled as they were passing the 188 Trading Post.

They were keeping their feet moving as quickly as possible, knowing they had to hurry if they were going to reach Novac before dark. Making a campfire in the middle of the Mojave Wasteland was dangerous as it was. They didn't need to bump into rutting roving male Deathclaws lurking around, whose aggression peaked at a beyond deadly level. Not to say that they didn't have to worry about running into them in the day. It was just for the fact that Deathclaws were more active at night, especially with breeding season in full swing.

"You mean the NCR President Aaron Kimball? Why?" Arcade asked.

"Because he needs to step up and get the NCR to do its job. If he was here and saw all this going on, he would fix it in a hurry. It's just that for years now, the NCR has been struggling with Caesar's Legion and that's all they are down to worrying about. I know he would help in getting my father back. They've been good friends for years."

"I hear he was supposed to be coming to Hoover Dam soon. Maybe you can catch him there," Boone stated.

"That is if we don't die painfully and horribly at the Fort," Cass snorted.

"You aren't helping, Cass," Raul grumbled. The gunslinger ghoul glared over at the caravan driver.

"Just saying."

They started bickering behind Chloe. The courier twitched a smile, shaking her head. It felt so open out here now that she was out of the walls of the Strip and Freeside. Now vast desert spread out across them, with cracked roads, dead trees, broken down buildings, and crumbling overpasses and interchanges. Luckily, they hadn't had any danger come at them yet. They met a caravan heading to 188 Trading Post about an hour after passing it. The pack Brahmin mooed at them while the caravan driver and mercenary cautiously waved and even warned about some Cazadors up ahead, though Chloe and the others never ran into the giant wasps.

They did, however, come across a mother Yao Guai and a cub eating on a rotting carcass of a Bighorner within a few miles of Novac, as the sun was starting to set.

They got ready, but the mother Yao Guai stayed near her cub and carcass. She stood up on her hind quarters, roaring out a warning at them, but did not charge, which was surprising. Chloe then saw the mutated bear pin her ears back, and she suddenly dropped to all fours and took off running with the cub at her side.

"I guess she didn't want to mess with a large group like us," Veronica stated. "Good."

Boone shook his head. "Something's wrong. That Yao Guai was scared of something, and it wasn't us."

Rex started barking frantically. ED-E was beeping in alarm. The group got their weapons ready

"Oh shit!" Cass cursed.

"Time to run!" Raul hollered.

Chloe saw it. The large male Deathclaw was already sliding down the ridge for them. It tripped on a large rock near the bottom, but caught itself and jumped several feet onto the road. It roared out at them, a high-pitched, gravelly scream.

"There's no getting away from these things, are there?" Cass spat.

They heard more roaring. Chloe saw the Yao Guai cub and mother coming their way with another Deathclaw on their rear. The cub squealed as it ran as fast as it could. The mother suddenly spun around in an attempt to save her cub. She got a good swipe in to the pursuing Deathclaw's face before it took her down and gored her to death.

The other Deathclaw who was readying itself to charge them with talons caught sight of the fleeing cub and went after it instead. The Deathclaw killed the cub with one quick bite to the spine. The crunching of bone echoed out.

"Let's move while we have the chance!" Boone called.

That chance didn't remain long. The male Deathclaws were only distracted a few moments with their kills. ED-E beeped like crazy for an order, and Rex was barking up a storm, his mouth foaming and ears pinned. Not only that, but Chloe knew that their large group huddled together like this stood out beyond easily.

The Deathclaws with their blood-smeared faces and horns looked to them with thrashing tails. The two roving males trilled at each other. One raised its head and let out a strange, warbling sound.

"That's not good," Arcade said.

"Why?" Chloe asked, already frozen.

"He's calling other Deathclaws. If that's the case, these aren't roving males. They're in an actual pack."

"Fuckin' great!" Cass yelled.

They opened fire with their weapons, sticking together. Chloe yelled at Rex to stay while she ordered ED-E to fire away. The nearest Deathclaw that had gored the mother Yao Guai and was covered in blood fell quickly thanks to Boone's marksman shot to the skull. The other was about ready to charge, but was quickly intimidated by Lily, who had run up with her Vertibird Sword yelling and slashing. The young male Deathclaw looked as though it was going to back off, but then when Lily's sword hit its hip, the large reptilian creature hissed and latched powerful jaws onto the Nightkin's shoulder and quickly took her down. It went to gore her with its horns, but Lily was a bit quicker and impaled her blade through the Deathclaw's throat.

"Let's move before the rest of the pack gets here!" Chloe yelled, hurrying everyone along.

"Yes, we definitely don't want to be dealing with any Alpha Deathclaws," Arcade agreed.

They hurried on, hearing the calls of more Deathclaws echoing out in the distance. Novac was just up the hill now, and then they would be safe. Chloe was quickly reminded why the Deathclaw remained as the most feared creature out in the wasteland. They killed more humans than humans killed them, and that landed them on top of the food chain for the most part.

Chloe just hoped that they would be able to figure out a plan before they got to the Fort. She would be going in alone; there would be no other way. They still had a long way to go to Cottonwood Cove, where the Legion has taken over right there on the Colorado River. From all the mountainous terrain on the other side of the Colorado River, Chloe figured the crossing from Cottonwood Cove was the quickest and easiest route to Fortification Hill. And, hopefully, to her father and Benny.


	13. The Cove

### Chapter 12: The Cove

Benny didn't understand, but Legion scouts were able to catch him even with his Stealth Boys. This told him that they had been watching him for awhile, maybe even following him. Somehow, they knew he was going to show up, and they were ready. He was brought before Caesar. Benny had to admit, the man who sat on the Legion throne inside the main camp's tent was not a man he was expecting. Caesar looked to be getting up there in age. He had no hair, and he looked almost frail and stoic. There was, however, this sharp sense of intelligence, cunning, and inner strength there in his grey eyes. He wore red ceremonial armor, with a blood red cape. His voice came out stronger than Benny had expected. He held his hand up, the Platinum Chip in between two fingers.

"I've been waiting for something like this. Down in the old substation, the same exact symbol is on the sealed doors in there. And we've tried everything to get them open…everything," Caesar said, his tone venomous as his eyes beheld Benny.

Benny stayed quiet with his arms tied behind his back while on his knees. Two Legion guards had machetes to his neck to make sure he didn't get any ideas.

"What were you planning on doing down there with this, hmm?" Caesar asked.

"I have no idea. I didn't get that far," Benny answered smoothly.

"Then you must know what it is used for. Why Mr. House has been searching for it for so long?"

Benny kept his head up high. "Well, that's the thing, dig? I was on my way down there to try and figure it out. Cuz me and House, well, we don't see eye to eye, know what I mean?"

Caesar chuckled softly. "Play your games, Fox. You can wait until Miss Maye gets here. I have summoned her to come and negotiate with me. She'll be here, and she will do what I ask of her if she wants to see you and her father alive again."

Caesar flicked his hand, summoning his soldiers to take him away. "Put him in the pen next to Colby. Maybe they can talk and get to know each other before she gets here, or before they both get put up on crosses...whichever comes first."

They heaved him to his feet and shoved him along outside of the tent down to a set of pens lined up. It wasn't meant for dogs, it was meant for prisoners. Benny glanced around, trying to take in the sight of the Fort. There were many small, simple red tents for the soldiers about, as well as a large round fighting arena. On top of an elevated slab of earth was Caesar's large tent that they came from. The substation was far down the hill in the next camp. The Fort was surrounded by a tall wall made out of scrap metal and tin. There were many Legion soldiers walking around, as well as Legion dogs, and slaves.

They cut his ropes and shoved him into the pen, locking the gate behind him. The guards then left, letting Benny rub at his wrists where the rope had dug into his skin. He sighed in relief. That definitely didn't go down like he had hoped. Though Benny didn't expect to get out of this shindig alive, he pondered about Chloe's arrival here. He actually worried for her.

"Well, well, well…if it ain't the Coyote of the West's son."

The voice caught Benny's attention. He turned to look at his neighbor in the pen next to him. He knew he was looking at Chloe's father as soon as he set eyes on him. He was just as she had described, though he looked a little worse for wear. He now had a few scars on his face, and he also had an eye patch on his left eye. Benny took slow steps over to the chain link fence that separated them.

"How do you know?" Benny inquired.

"You look just like Cash…only more of a city slicker. If I recall correctly, your tribe is now one of the Three Families under House, right?" Colby asked.

"Yeah, and if I recall, you are Chloe's father. How do you know my tribe?" Benny asked, suddenly feeling defensive.

Colby's eyes flashed at the mention of his daughter's name. "I use to contract for the NCR years ago. Came down here to try and catch the one man that no one else could. I failed like all the others. That's how I know your tribe. How do you know my daughter?"

Benny thinned his lips, thinking he could really go for a smoke right now. "It's complicated, hey? And I doubt you'd wanna hear it."

"Humor me."

"He shot your daughter in the head, and she barely survived, and then seduced her into sleeping with him when she came to New Vegas. Isn't that right, Benny?"

Benny snapped his neck over to the entrance to the pen. Vulpes was standing there, grinning slyly. Benny clenched his jaw, glaring at the leader of the Frumentarri. There were some Legion boys bringing in a Follower of the Apocalypse, and they were taking him to Caesar's tent. The evening was darkening. Benny could tell that nightfall was coming soon.

"Don't act so surprised. You should never underestimate the Frumentarri. We are superior. Oh and by the way, I was the one to summon Miss Maye to come and speak to Lord Caesar. This should prove to be interesting."

Vulpes turned and headed off, leaving the two prisoners alone again. When Benny turned to look at Colby once more, he saw the death glare Chloe's father was giving him. Benny sneered at him.

"I told ya that you wouldn't wanna hear it."

"I should kill you."

"Why? Look, Chloe and I made up. What I did was wrong, and I apologized for it. She took it to heart. What happened between us in Vegas just happened, dig? No need to get so worked up. We're a team now, so drop the animosity, will ya?"

"Why would Chloe fall for you?"

Benny's trademark smirk came upon his lips, and he motioned to himself. "How could she resist such a handsome gent?"

Colby rolled his eyes. "You really are Cash's son. So, what's Cash doing now? Is he still tribe leader, and in charge in New Vegas with your family?"

Benny shook his head. "Oh no, he died 'bout twelve years ago. Killed by Bingo."

"That mountain of an oaf? That doesn't sound right."

Benny shrugged. "Wouldn't know. I wasn't there when Bingo took over."

Colby could tell that Benny was lying. Whatever the truth was, it seemed to be a touchy topic for the Chairmen leader. "So Bingo is in charge now huh?"

Again, Benny shook his head. "Nope, I killed the fink just after House confronted our tribe about moving into Vegas."

Colby seemed surprised. "So…you're chief?"

"Sure am. Have been for seven years now."

"Great," Colby grumbled. "Now I really am confused on Chloe's actions. I told her to stay away from men like you."

"Oh chill out, pops. I told her where her old boyfriend is, since he was searching for her. Uh Jacob, yeah. So, if she wants, she can go back to him."

Colby grabbed the chain link fist, glaring at Benny. "Jacob is searching for her? That fucking bastard!"

Benny raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, somethin' tells me that he isn't on your good side."

Colby cursed again. "He stood me up at Falling Rock. He's a damn Frumentarri! He is Joshua Graham's son! I should've seen it in all the signs, but I wanted to believe he was family. I just recently found out that Vulpes is his uncle on his mother's side. No wonder he leads the Frumentarri at times. He was supposed to have led the attack on Mormon Fort to bring back that Follower."

It took Benny a moment to realize it, but he was worried about Chloe. "Shit."

"He's over there, see him," Colby said, pointing.

Benny looked, seeing Vulpes and a few other Frumentarri in a circle and talking. Benny clenched his jaw when he recognized Jacob. The young, handsome black haired man with blue eyes and a scar on his cheek stood out amongst the rest of the Frumentarri.

Colby sighed. "They call him Aquila. It means Eagle. If he's after Chloe, it is only because he wants to make her a slave. Which means Caesar isn't going to go through with his bargaining. We're all screwed."

"No wonder he was tryin' to get her to go east with him after you supposedly died. He was trying to trick her, the finky bastard." The leader of the Chairmen sighed, turning back to Chloe's father. "So why does Caesar want you?"

Benny noticed that Chloe's father instantly tried to shy away from the topic. "It's a long story…nothing important."

"Does it look like we're goin' anywhere, pops?" Benny asked, folding his arms. "It seems to me that you have some skeletons in the closet. Dirty secrets that Chloe should've known about. Am I right, pops?"

Colby lowered his eyes, his jaw tightening for a moment. He let out a soft sigh, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yes. I've kept many things from Chloe, but only because I was trying to protect her."

"So, what did ya do, pops?"

Colby gave him an annoyed glare. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

Benny shrugged. "Chloe's my girl now; I might as well start callin' you that. What, would you rather her be with Jacob?"

Colby sighed again. "If we somehow get out of this alive, or before we all three get sentenced to crucifixion, I'm gonna have to talk to Chloe about this."

"About the skeletons or about us?"

"Both."

Benny snorted a laugh, almost sneering. "Even in the midst of all this, you're most worried about your daughter's social life."

Colby glared at him. "Because men like you are killers, con artists, and no good animals."

Benny chuckled slyly. "It's good that we have this time to get to know each other as we wait for Chloe, pops."

Colby shook his head, slightly turning away from the Chairmen leader. "It's going to be a long, cold night."

"Ya, if only Chloe was here."

Colby shot him another death glare.

Benny chuckled. "Whoa, defensive much, pops? I meant so she could save our necks."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. And I highly doubt my daughter could be able to take out Caesar and all the Legionaries in this camp just to save us."

Benny dug into his pockets, sighing in relief as he felt his pack of cigarettes. He dug it out and drew a single stick and put it in between his lips. He then got his lighter, flipping it open to light the cigarette quickly. "That broad survived a bullet to the head, some Deathclaws and Nightkin, Vulpes himself, and who knows what else, dig? I'm not putting anything else past her. Besides, she has a large group of friends that she somehow gathered throughout New Vegas."

"Give me one of those."

Benny raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, could you ask again. I don't think I heard you right, pops."

Colby shook his head, annoyed. "Great, we're out here and could be killed any moment and you are being a smartass. I'll say it again, you're definitely Cash's son, but that really makes me wonder how Chloe could fall for you."

Benny slipped Colby a cigarette, lighting it for the older man through the chain link fence. "Look, pops, I don't expect to get out of this shindig alive, but to hell if I'm gonna sit around and let my pride be broken."

Colby chuckled, taking a hit off his freshly lit cigarette. "You know, maybe you and I could get along after all."

*********************************************************************************************************************

Even though House had given Chloe plenty of caps for the road, Boone was able to get them free rooms back in Novac. Arcade took care of Lily's wounds from the skirmish with the Deathclaws. Luckily, as a Nightkin, she would heal quickly. They spent dinner congregated in Chloe's room while eating. Raul told them stories from the Pre-War days, while Arcade elaborated on how life used to be back before the bombs fell.

Chloe interacted, though she felt herself withdrawn many times. All she could think about was her father and Benny. It felt wrong staying here in the hotel while the two of them were in Legion custody. They had tried many times to figure out a plan on how to ambush the highly secured Fort, but none ever seemed to be foolproof.

She sighed, lowering her eyes to the floor. Rex was sleeping by her feet, his mechanical body folded around to where his tail was touching his nose. ED-E was floating around the room contently while everyone talked. The courier felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Arcade.

"We'll figure out a way in there. Don't you worry."

"Thanks, Arcade," she said softly, smiling.

"I say we give Boone a big dose of Psycho, maybe even some Buffout or Jet and let him loose into the camp," Cass chuckled, trying to get the last drops from her bottle of whiskey.

"So you can sit around and drink whiskey while we all work?" Boone snorted.

"Hey, this makes me quite rowdy. If you want me to really kick ass, give me a bottle of whiskey. I'm simple to please," Cass defended snidely.

"Are you sure, amiga?" Raul inquired. "You get into a lot of trouble for someone who is pleased easily."

The whole room chuckled inwardly.

Veronica looked to Chloe curiously. "So, why would Caesar want your father, Chloe?"

Chloe was quiet at first, thinking back to Benny's words of her father keeping secrets and being stood up. When he first spoke them, all she wanted to do was laugh. Her father wouldn't keep anything from her. But the more and more Benny's words revolved in her head, the more she was unsure.

"I…don't know."

Arcade checked his watch. "Alright, we should all get to our own rooms. We want to leave by dawn to get to Cottonwood Cove early."

The others mumbled in agreement. Rex perked up as everyone gathered their supplies and left Chloe's room for their own, leaving just her, the cyber dog, and the Eyebot. No sooner had everyone left and it had just turned to silence did her door knock again. Confused, Chloe hardly moved from the bed.

"Come in."

The door opened, Rex and ED-E watched for a moment until they realized it was Boone and settled down. Boone was silent, shutting the door behind him. Chloe looked to him in worry. The sniper had been acting strange since they arrived in Novac. He seemed even more locked up, but now he seemed anxious, maybe even sick.

"I want to tell you something…Something I never told anybody."

Chloe got to her feet, walking over to him. "Is something wrong, Boone?"

"I've been thinking…about what you said a couple days ago. About how the more we know about each other…the more we can trust one another. And since we are on our way to…to Cottonwood Cove, it's only appropriate that you know this about me."

Chloe only nodded, her heart fluttering in worry. She didn't like where Boone was going with this. His eyes were dark, and he kept them down and wouldn't look at her. Shame and guilt was what she was reading on his face.

"I told you that my wife was sold into slavery to the Legion, thanks to Jeannie May Crawford. You asked me how I knew she was dead. Well…I killed her."

Chloe blinked, swallowing hard. "You…killed her?"

Boone clenched his jaw for a moment. "I took the shot from a cliff about a mile away from Cottonwood Cove. I wanted to go down there and save her, but…I just didn't want her to live that life…so I ended it for her."

Chloe felt sick. She took a moment to close her eyes and take a breath. "You did what you thought was right. No one can blame you for that."

"Was it right?"

Chloe was quiet, then weakly answered. "I think so."

"There's something else," Boone mumbled, turning towards the door.

"What?"

"She was pregnant."

"Oh…Boone."

"Does it seem right now?"

She could feel his tortured feelings, and they made her nauseous. She felt tears gathering in her eyes. She covered her mouth, the shock of it all mentally stopping her in her tracks. She was often confused by Boone's behavior. She knew he had a dark history, especially being an NCR 1st Recon Sharpshooter, she knew he had seen a lot, from the Bitter Springs incident to wars without no end. But this…she wasn't expecting this. And she didn't know what to say…how to comfort him.

"That's what I thought," Boone mumbled, stepping towards the door. He took her silence as her answer.

"Boone, wait."

His hand was on the doorknob. He glanced back at her. "What is it?" His voice cracked.

"You did what you thought was right. And that is the best you can ever do. If you think I will think different of you, I won't. You're a good man, Boone. I'm glad I was able to meet you…because honestly, I wouldn't be here without you."

He let his hand slip from the doorknob, and he was able to catch her eyes. He twitched the faintest of smiles, and she could feel the tension in the room dissipate. She could see the burden lift from his shoulders a little, just enough to let him breathe a little more.

"Thank you," he whispered, and then turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

It felt unfair now. She was going to go in and try to save her family. Boone didn't get that chance. There was nothing she could do to change that either.

*********************************************************************************************************************

The morning air was cool, but they kept on the broken road as dawn gradually lightened and warmed the wasteland with the rising sun. Chloe checked her Pip-Boy as they walked along. They were mostly quiet, save for Cass's occasional quip, or Arcade's scientific approach to something. They were coming close to Camp Searchlight, an NCR base that used to be a town.

"That's funny," Chloe stated.

"What's up?" Veronica inquired.

"My Pip-Boy is reading a lot of radiation coming up…coming from Camp Searchlight, actually. That can't be right."

"Wonder if something happened," Raul said.

ED-E started beeping angrily, followed by Rex's barking. They got their weapons ready, just in time to see feral ghouls dressed in NCR attire coming for them fast. It was a whole pack, and the raging zombies raced for them with claws out and ugly grins.

Chloe and the others opened fire on the oncoming feral ghouls. The Eyebot zipped around, firing its lasers and beeping while the cyber dog would drag down an enemy and tear it to shreds. Lily took them out like pins while swinging her massive Vertibird Sword.

"Can't you talk to them or something, Raul?" Cass barked.

"Are you loco? They'll eat what's left of my face off!"

"You aren't going to turn feral now, are you?" Cass asked, blowing the head off a rushing, snarling ghoul.

"If I do, I'll be sure to eat you first, how's that?"

"Not funny!"

"You asked for it, amiga!"

"Alright, you two! Shouldn't we focus more on the ghouls that want to eat us?" Chloe yelled.

"Yes, boss!"

Boone pointed his rifle up the hill. "Chloe, get down! There's a glowing one coming!"

"Shoot that thing down before it hits us with radiation!" Veronica hollered.

Chloe ducked. Not even a second later, did she hear Boone fire. The bullet whizzed right over her head. She watched the green, glowing feral ghoul's head explode and the body crumbled.

No later had they taken out the feral pack had more started to come over the hill. Chloe cursed, and they got ready for more. Before they could fire their guns, they heard more gunfire burst out from behind them. The oncoming feral ghouls were taken down, and Chloe and the others spun to see a whole squad of NCR Rangers coming for them.

"Never thought I would be happy to see that bear symbol," Veronica sighed.

Chloe lowered her weapon, the others followed. None of them were Veteran Rangers, and so didn't wear the black armor and mask with the trench coat. They were normal Rangers, dressed in the tan vests, white shirts, and brown pants as well as the brown Ranger hat. There had to be ten of them, and only one of them was human, the rest were ghouls. The human Ranger, looking to be the one in charge stepped forward.

"I am Ranger Erasmus. State your business." He wore a darker vest than the rest, and he was in his thirties, with a dark mustache and brown eyes.

"Does it matter to you?" Cass snapped.

"Actually it does. Seeing as how that once you go over that hill into Camp Searchlight, you'll be swallowed by radiation. Why do you think you were attacked by so many feral ghouls dressed in NCR armor just now? That, and we just saved your ass."

"Don't mind her," Chloe said. "What happened?"

"Legion. They ambushed the base and dumped gallons of nuclear waste to kill off everyone. Your best bet is to steer clear of the camp. Where is it you are trying to go?"

"Cottonwood Cove," Chloe stated calmly.

Ranger Erasmus raised an eyebrow while the ghoul Rangers perked up at her words. "Why?"

"My father and…uhh…"

"Boyfriend. Go on, say it," Cass heaved.

Chloe glared at her friend. "My father and partner are being held there. As well as a Follower we are trying to rescue."

"What do you plan to do, storm the camp?" A ghoul Ranger snorted, folding his arms.

"We sure are."

Erasmus sighed, shaking his head lightly. "Maybe you should come up to Ranger Station Echo then. We have a good viewing of the cove. We are actually the ones who watch it. It will give you a shortcut to the cove. It might be a little rockier heading down the slope, but at least you will stay away from Camp Searchlight."

"You are going to help them, sir? We can't allow them to go and kill themselves like that," another ghoul Ranger stated.

"We cannot stop them if they want to go. That is their decision. We cannot leave our post to try and stop them." Erasmus then looked back to Chloe and her followers. "This way to Ranger Station Echo."

They started following the group of Rangers. It was back the way they came, and then they left the road by going right into the desert, and then heading up a steep ridge into the camp. Ranger Station Echo was fairly secured, and it was located right on a ridge that overlooked Cottonwood Cove and the areas around it. Chloe could see the highway go straight down the mountain to the Colorado River. There were a few more ghoul Rangers back at the station, as well as a human NCR soldier that was working as the Communications Expert.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why are most of you guys ghouls? Did Camp Searchlight affect here as well?" Veronica asked.

Erasmus chuckled. "No. Ghouls make up much of the NCR's elite because they can take much more damage than humans and are healed by radiation." The head Ranger then looked over to the only other human NCR soldier. "Green! Where's Phoenix at?"

"Went to the lookout to see what a group of Legion scum was doing. He should be back any moment."

Chloe perked up at the familiar name. _Phoenix? Nah, it couldn't be the same Phoenix. I could have sworn he got transferred to New Canaan._

Erasmus turned back to Chloe. "Take your time and rest, and make sure you think through to see if you really want to do this. It's a suicide mission, I hope you know, but we're not going to stop you. The ridge is just outside the camp on the east side. You can watch and see what they are doing with some binoculars."

"Thanks," Chloe stated, but instantly got distracted when she saw a Veteran Ranger walk into camp.

The trench coat rustled in the light wind as the black armored veteran soldier headed their way. He must have been the only Veteran Ranger in camp. He looked just like any other Veteran Ranger that Chloe had seen. However, she grinned as she recognized the leather strap on his hip that dangled a foot long Deathclaw talon.

"Phoenix! I thought you got transferred to New Canaan?" Chloe asked, trotting over to him.

The Veteran Ranger pulled off his helmet, making Chloe grin wider as she recognized the blue eyed ghoul with patches of black hair on his head and a scarred up face. He tossed his helmet to Green, who barely caught it.

"Well, if it ain't my favorite smoothskin! It's been a couple years! How ya been? I was for awhile, but then I got transferred back here." His voice was rough like many ghouls.

They hugged. Phoenix picked her up and spun her around. When he sat her down, he ruffled her hair. "Where's 'ol Colby at?"

Chloe frowned, looking outside of the camp towards the cove. She pointed down there to Cottonwood Cove, making the ghoul soldier clench his jaw.

"Caesar has him?"

"Yes. I thought he was killed back at Quinn near New Reno, but it turns out they wanted him alive for something. I'm on my way there with my friends here to get him and some others out."

Phoenix looked between her group, his eyes clouding in thought. He scratched his temple. "This is your ambush party?"

"You make it sound as if we aren't qualified," Cass quipped, putting a hand on her hip.

Phoenix ignored her, and turned back to Chloe. "Do you have a plan?"

"Well, I'm supposed to go speak to Caesar alone. He summoned me to do some bargaining to get my father and uhh, my partner back, so I was going to go in alone, and then the others were supposed to come in behind me with the ambush a bit later. That's really all we got."

"Chloe, I know you're father taught you better than that," Phoenix sighed.

The courier shook her head. "I would rather it just be me, so I wouldn't be risking anybody's lives, but my friends here insisted. I'm not going to let my father and Benny rot away when I have a chance that I could free them."

"We got your back, pumpkin!" Lily exclaimed roughly.

"Yeah, boss, don't make it sound as if we are extra baggage. You've done so much for us. Now it's our turn," Raul added.

"See?" Chloe chuckled.

Phoenix twitched a smile. "Alright, I tell you what. Take a break, go check out the cove with some binoculars and talk it through. I'm going to have a little talk with Erasmus."

"Uh-oh, you have your scheming look on your face, Phoenix," Chloe stated, giving him a suspicious look. "What are you planning?"

Phoenix mocked being offended. "It's been a couple years. I highly doubt you can remember my scheming face."

He patted her shoulder before taking his helmet from Green and moving on to Erasmus. Chloe and the others headed outside of the camp to the large cliff on the other side, taking turns to look through the binoculars to watch Cottonwood Cove. Chloe could see many of the soldiers and some slaves down there, as well as some freshly crucified victims. There was a large raft that she figured was used to cross the Colorado River to Fortification Hill.

"We are so gonna die," Cass heaved, shaking her head. "Look at them all, crawling around like fuckin' Radroaches! And that's not even the damn Fort."

"Thanks for boosting our confidence, Cass," Arcade sighed.

"Can I put a muzzle on her?" Boone asked, turning to Chloe.

"Try it, and I'll break your hand," Cass retorted, grinning.

"Don't make me order Lily to toss the two of you off this cliff," Chloe quipped. She was chewing her lip as total realization started filling her brain on exactly what she was planning. She felt nervous, and already she felt adrenaline trying to start pumping throughout her body.

"So, anyone have any new plans? Ones that will make me feel better about rushing into the pit of death?" Veronica asked.

"If only we could let loose a pack of Deathclaws down there. That would solve our problem," Raul stated, slightly smiling.

Boone patted Chloe while looking through the binoculars. He pointed across the ravine, over onto the other rocky ridge opposite of them. He handed them to her so she could look. The courier saw the decaying remains of the Cottonwood Overlook and the rental lake cabins that took up most of the area.

"Yeah, so?"

"Look towards the cliff that overlooks right over the cove. You see that big red truck?"

"It's carrying nuclear waste!" Chloe exclaimed.

"I bet that is where they got it to bomb Camp Searchlight," Boone stated evenly.

"Well, let's give them a taste of their own medicine," Chloe said, tightening her hold on the binoculars. "How long will all that radiation take to kill everyone down there?" She looked through the binoculars again, watching the Legion soldiers move around the cove. Her heart sank when she saw the slaves…innocent lives. "Never mind…I can't go through with that while there are slaves and prisoners down there. We'll have to think of something else."

"Care to listen to my plan?"

Chloe smiled, spinning around as Phoenix walked over to them. The Veteran Ranger ghoul had his helmet tucked under his armpit, and looked down at the cove with them before turning to get their attention. "Well, I had a talk with Erasmus. Since Ranger Station Echo as well as a few other NCR posts in this area are sick of rotting away while Camp Golf ignores our requests for more backup and supplies, we're all going to gather together and help you take the cove and the Fort. In a way, it will help us, as well as help you. It also will give you a good reason to go visit Kimball when he arrives after you save Colby. You know he'll take care of you guys."

"Are you serious?" Chloe grunted, surprised. "A whole NCR squad is going to help us ambush Fortification Hill?"

"It would be good for us, if we were to succeed. If we just sit around here and rot with the likelihood of Camp Golf not responding to our needs, then the Legion will pick us off one by one anyways. So, we might as well. If you head on down to the Cove yourself, since you were summoned to Caesar alone, that will give us enough time to gather and take the cove. If you leave now, and everything goes as planned with the Cove, then you should be expecting us to invade the Fort within the hour. You'll have troops from Ranger Station Delta, Camp Forlorn Hope, Nelson, Echo of course, as well as the last survivors of Searchlight. What do you say?" Phoenix explained thoroughly.

Chloe instinctively turned to Boone, who slowly nodded at her. The others thought it through, and slowly agreed with Phoenix's plan. Chloe swallowed hard, knowing she would have to go on alone for now. She extended her hand to shake with Phoenix, but he just grabbed her into a hug, making her giggle.

"Make sure you be careful. I promise we'll get into the Fort and free everyone," Phoenix said seriously.

A wave of relief tried to come over her from his words, despite her body wanting to start tensing and readying for the inevitable. She nodded into his shoulder, pulling away. Phoenix rubbed her shoulder, nodding towards Cottonwood Cove.

"Better head out. It won't be long now."

"R-right," she mumbled.

"Take Rex with you. He at least will help you, and they shouldn't say too much considering he used to be one of their dogs," Arcade stated. "If anything does go wrong, it will be good to have some sort of protection."

Chloe nodded. "Alright." She turned to ED-E. "Now listen here, ED-E, you listen to Boone while I am gone. Be good."

ED-E beeped at her.

The courier sighed, checking her supplies and heading out. She handed over her cell phone, caps, and a few other supplies to her friends before heading off on her own. She kept the Mark of Caesar out for quick access, knowing the Legion soldier would be swarming her once she neared the cove. She could hear her companions call at her back to be careful and that they would be there shortly. Chloe could only trust their word as she started down the ridge with Rex at her side for the broken road that would take her down into Cottonwood Cove.


	14. Render Unto Caesar

### Chapter 13: Render Unto Caesar

The trip down the mountain following the road to the cove was quiet. Chloe felt vulnerable in the open alone. Rex was whining a lot, and kept looking back, as if expecting the others to catch up. She kept urging the cyber dog on, until he started growling and three Legion soldiers were running up. She quickly had to order the dog to stay as they came up. She noticed how close she was into entering the Cottonwood camp, and could also see rotting bodies, skeletons, and freshly added victims upon crosses on either side of the road. The buzzards and carrion crows were making a fuss up in the air, circling.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming down here, woman," a Legion soldier stated venomously. "State your business."

Chloe held up the Mark of Caesar, hearing the three men gasp before her. Rex had his lips curled, his body tense as he watched the soldiers like a hawk. The one soldier sneered at her, nodding to his two fellows and turning towards the cove.

"You must be Colby Maye's daughter. Caesar has been waiting for you. This way. And no funny business. Just because you have the Mark, does not mean we won't kill you if you step out of line."

They escorted her through the camp, where many Legion soldiers stopped to watch her walk by. Dogs growled at her legs or at Rex. Though she caught the slaves' attentions, they dared not stop doing their chores. The slaves still locked away in chain link pens came over to check her out, but the Legion soldiers hit the cage hard to knock them back. Chloe bit her tongue hard, anger boiling inside. They reached the deck where they led her to a soldier who was standing guard by the raft that would take them across the Colorado River.

"Here is Miss Maye. Caesar wishes to speak to her in person," the Legion soldier stated.

The raft guard nodded, and then turned to Chloe. "Ave. This way. Please board the raft."

Chloe stepped onto the raft with her dog. The three Legion soldiers as well as the raft guard got on as well, and they worked to take the raft across the river. The ride across the river was stressful, and it only worsened the closer she got to the other side. The Legion soldiers talked to each other while watching her, from thoughts about her to recent news that affected them. Chloe kept silent and still, her body tense and ready for anything. It made her sick as they discussed her. Caesar's Legion treated women like cattle. They believed that women were physically and intellectually inferior to men, and were meant only for childbearing.

Once they reached the other side of the Colorado River, it was a hike to Fortification Hill. At the gate, her weapons were confiscated, and she was further escorted into the camp where many more Legion soldiers, dogs, slaves, and even Legion kids roamed about. There were more crucified people on crosses just on the other side of the gate, as well as a caravan driver. The young Legion boys were running drills and as they got up the hill into the main part of the camp, Chloe saw many soldiers sharpening weapons, practicing fights, and fighting and breeding dogs.

One Legion soldier, a handsome young man with steely dark eyes and dark hair was talking to another with a dog at his side until he caught sight of her and Rex. He instantly came over, his mongrel dog following him closely.

"That's Caesar's old dog! It's Caedo. He has fathered many great pups," the soldier said.

"Ya, I thought that was him," one of the soldiers escorting her said, stopping. "Of course you would recognize him Antony. You are in charge of the dogs after all."

Antony nodded, studying Rex closely, though he could tell the dog wasn't going to let anyone but Chloe near him. Antony kneeled down, his dog brushing up against him with wide yellow eyes on Rex and sniffing.

"Yeah, remember him, Lupa 'ol girl?" Antony asked, petting the dog behind the ear.

"We better get her to Caesar. Get back to your duties, Antony."

"Yeah, of course. Of course," he mumbled, catching Chloe's eyes as he stood up. He gave one final look to Rex before turning and leaving with Lupa.

They took her up a ledge, where a large, blood red tent stood overlooking the rest of the camp, including the circular arena. The large golden symbol of the bull decorated the front flap of the tent. The soldiers nodded towards the large tent, folding their arms and standing together.

"Caesar is in there. Think your words carefully, woman. Ave."

Chloe sighed, lifting the flap of the tent and entering with Rex at her side. It was much cooler in the large tent than outside in the sun. Chloe saw many members of the Frumentarri standing along the large tent. Chloe saw Caesar sitting at his throne on the other end, with Vulpes standing right by his side. She walked slowly down first section of the tent, Rex licking his lips nervously. Chloe was nervous too, her heart was pounding in her throat, and her body was sore from being so tense.

She looked to her right as the tent spread out. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes landing on Benny, who was on his knees with rope tying his hands behind his back. He caught her eyes for a moment, his expression going from surprise to falling to the ground in shame. Chloe took a deep breath, turning to finish walking over to Caesar, whose gray eyes watched her from as soon as she entered the tent. He wasn't at all what she had pictured. Before her sat a frail, old man dressed in emperor's ceremonial clothing. He was going bald, and he looked tired. But his eyes held a deep intelligence, and his voice was definitely that of a man who was ruler, judge, and punisher.

"Chloe Maye, is it? You have certainly come a long way to answer my call. I appreciate that. You are definitely Colby's daughter."

"Where is my father?" Chloe demanded, not showing him any fear.

Caesar was studying Rex for a moment. He held his hand out to the cyber dog, but Rex merely growled and stepped away. His gray eyes went back to Chloe, and he looked so calm in that throne of his.

"He was taken to Legate's Camp. I must be sure you will do what I want before I will hand him over. I have Benny here for you, but I think we should come to an agreement with what must be done with him."

Chloe felt anger bristling across her entire body. It took all the control she had not to attack the tyrant in front of her. She should have known something like this was going to happen. She took a moment to calm down, though anger was clearly apparent on her features.

"I don't understand why you need me for anything! What do you want with my father? What did he do to you? Just let the three of us go, and I promise we won't cause any trouble."

"Your father has faulted me on many accounts," Caesar answered simply. "I'm surprised you know nothing of his actions. It seems he keeps a lot from you, doesn't he?"

"My father never keeps anything from me."

Caesar lightly chuckled, shifting in his chair. "Of course, if that is what you think. So what about the Fox here? You think he never keeps anything from you as well?"

Chloe glanced back to Benny, who was watching her closely in her conversation with Caesar. He had a guard on either side of him with machetes.

"What do you want with me?" Chloe sighed.

"You fascinate me. You get shot in the head, and survive. You track down the man who did this to you, surviving Deathclaws, Nightkin, and all hell. House lets you into the Lucky 38, which hasn't been entered since the bombs dropped like you were old buddies, and then you seduced one of the most powerful men in New Vegas. You put your mind to something, and get it done. I like that."

Caesar held up something between his fingers. Chloe instantly recognized the Platinum Chip. "I know you are working for Mr. House. I want you to take this and go down to the substation. I want you to destroy whatever it is that is down there that Mr. House wants. That and kill him, take him out. After you do those two things for me, I will let your father go."

"What about Benny?"

Caesar curled his lip, flipping the chip like a quarter and thinking for a moment. "After what he did to you? Shouldn't you be killing him?"

Chloe slowly shook her head. "I don't need to kill him."

"You're a naïve girl, Miss Maye," Caesar sighed, shaking his head. "If you want to pretend nothing has happened between you and the son of the Coyote, that's fine. But you should know better than to not expect that he will eventually turn on you and finish the job. He's a killer, Miss Maye. He might look sophisticated and domesticated, but he is still a tribal. They're like dogs, you know? I would know, considering I conquered 86 tribes already."

"Just let him go. I'll take him with me. He can help," Chloe answered, trying to make it that she and Benny could get to the substation before the others arrived to ambush the place.

"While I think about it, how about you go over there and confront him?" Caesar retorted.

Chloe slowly turned, walking over to Benny as the two guards left him and walked away so they could speak privately. She looked down at Benny, and couldn't help but to muster a smile at his pitiful state. He looked so cute looking up at her with a slightly cocked head and smile.

"Pussycat," he purred sweetly, tugging her heartstrings. "Ain't this platinum? Had I known you were coming, I would've baked a cake! I bet you're pissed at me for leaving you and hightailing it here on my own. Well, I don't blame ya."

"Yeah, that wasn't shitty at all," Chloe mocked. She tapped her chin, looking down at him. "Now where have I seen this before? This little sight seems nostalgic somehow."

Benny glared at her. "Ha ha, babe. I get it. I see the irony of this picture, dig? Karma's caught up with me."

"Good. Glad you are paying attention."

"I was trying to protect you. I must say though, you are looking absolutely gorgeous today, babe! Too bad a conjugal visit isn't practical here."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Is that all you can think about while you sit there on the ground with your hands bound and death around the corner?"

"Why shouldn't I? After our last turn, I'm head over heels for you, baby! It's been the only thing keepin' me warm at night, stuck where I am." He grinned, and then nodded at her. "Awww look, I got you to blush."

"Do you have any advice to give me here?" Chloe sighed.

"Okay. How did your meet and greet with Baldie go? What does he want you to do?"

"He wants me to go down into the substation and destroy whatever is down there to free you and Dad."

Benny dipped his head. "Sure. Oh, but you don't want to do that, baby. That's where your key to Vegas lies."

"Wow, you didn't say our. How come?"

Benny snorted. "Look, I ain't exactly a harborer for illusions. I don't expect to get out of this shindig alive! Just do whatever House woulda wanted you to do, and then when you get back to Vegas, talk to Yes Man. He'll help you plot against House. I made it so that cat can't help but be helpful, dig? Oh and tell Swank he's in charge."

Chloe glared at him. "I'm getting your ass outta here, so don't talk like that."

"You got a plan?" Benny inquired, sounding interested. "Sing baby! You've got a captive audience!"

"Shh!" Chloe hissed, glancing over her shoulder at Caesar, who was watching them closely. Rex came closer to sniff Benny, his tail slightly wagging. "Was my father really here? Did you see him?"

"Sure was. Was neighbors with the guy. They hauled him off to Legate's Camp at dawn with the rest of the Frumentarri, including your boyfriend Jacob. Apparently, he was behind Falling Rock and set your dad up and now he is after you."

Chloe didn't know how to respond at first, and then glared at Benny. "You must have that all wrong. Jacob would never do such a thing."

Benny shrugged. "I ain't expectin' you to believe me. If only pops was here so you could hear it straight from the horse's mouth, baby."

Chloe cut him off. "Forget it. We'll discuss this later. Right now, I need to focus on a way to get Caesar to let you come with me into the substation before-"

"Miss Maye, are you through consorting with your consort?" Caesar questioned from his throne.

Chloe gave Benny one last look before walking over to the ruler of the Legion with her cyber dog. Caesar held out his hand, revealing the Platinum Chip. Slowly, very gingerly, the courier took it from his hand and looked at the chip that nearly cost her everything. She quickly pocketed the highly coveted chip and focused on Caesar.

"Now listen to me, Miss Maye. Go down into the substation and-"

He was cut off by a huge explosion that shook the ground below their feet. Dogs were howling, men were battle crying, and gunfire started creating a storm. Chloe knew that her companions, Phoenix, and the NCR troops that united with them were now here. A soldier flew into the tent, rushing to the ruler even as the Frumentarri and other guards were getting ready for battle.

"NCR, my lord! They have ambushed us!"

Vulpes was quick to step in and help Caesar to his feet. "My lord we should get you out of here immediately. They cannot take the entire Fort on this side of the river. Our best bet is to retreat to Legate's Camp and send reinforcements back to flush them across the river again."

Caesar pointed to Chloe, eyes flashing. "This is your doing, isn't it? You led them here; this is all your plan!"

Chloe didn't answer. Caesar gave the motion, making the Frumetarri come forward and grab her. Chloe fought back against the four men that were holding her. Rex exploded, attacking one soldier with a vicious snarl.

"Rex! Go find Boone!" Chloe yelled. "Seek, boy!"

Rex released the mangled wrist, taking off running with soldiers running after him. The Frumentarri tied Chloe's arms behind her back, forcing her down to her knees right next to Benny. Vulpes was pacing, hearing the battle growing closer and closer.

"My lord, we should leave now!"

"Yes, of course," Caesar stated. "Leave a guard in here to watch these two. I highly doubt this ambush party will get much farther. We'll come back once the battle is over and deal with these two."

Vulpes nodded. He and the other five Frumentarri escorted Caesar out of the large tent and were gone. The guard Vulpes ordered to stay put glared down at them with a machete ready. As the battle got closer and closer, the soldier became more antsy. Chloe started to work at her ropes behind her back, moving her body and trying to loosen the ropes good enough where she could slip them over her hips and legs to her front. The guard caught her and quickly stepped forward, yelling out. Chloe instinctively kicked out her legs, tripping the soldier onto his back. She was going to quickly counter again while he was down, but Benny was already one step ahead. He kicked out his leg, slamming his heel down hard onto the soldier's face, busting his nose and killing him.

Chloe was distracted by that for only a moment before she remembered to start working the ropes again. She finally got them loose enough to where she could start slipping them down her back and butt to her legs. Benny watched her with a sly grin as she did so, causing her to glare at him.

"What?" she grumbled.

"Nothing, baby, nothing. You got some moves there, that's all."

"Men," she growled as she finally worked her bound arms through her legs to where her arms were now in front of her body. She grabbed the nearby machete, getting to her feet with Benny.

She took a moment to position the blade correctly to cut her own ropes. She then went straight to Benny's back and cut his ropes. The battle sounded like it was right outside now, with explosions, cries, and thunderous shots. Benny hissed as his ropes were cut, and he quickly brought his hands around. Worried, Chloe rushed around to his front.

"What is it?" she grunted.

"My hands fell asleep."

Chloe heaved a sigh, glaring at him. "There's a damn war going on out there and you're worried about your hands falling asleep?"

She watched him as he ran over to the other side of the tent where the Legion had a table set out with some maps and notes written down. She saw his gun sitting on it, and he grabbed it up. As he walked back over to her, Chloe saw Benny aim Maria at her. For a moment, her heart stopped upon seeing that very same barrel that had put a bullet into her skull not even a week ago. She didn't even have time to open her mouth and say anything before he fired a single shot. The bullet whizzed right past her, and she heard the yelp of a man come behind her. She spun to see a Legion soldier crumble to the floor.

A shaky breath escaped her lips, and she slowly turned back to face Benny, hating that wily grin he had on his handsome face, yet loving it at the same time as he came over to her. He kissed her deeply on the lips.

"You thought I was going to shoot you," he mumbled into her lips, kissing her again.

"Did not," she mumbled, twitching a smile.

"Did too," he chuckled, reaching around her waist to pull her into him.

"I can't believe you only have one thing on your mind while a blood bath is going on outside."

"It's all your fault, honey, I blame you."

She pushed him off of her, pointing at him. "Down boy. Let's get to that substation to figure out what the hell we are supposed to do."

"Ring-a-ding, baby, time to vacate these premises!"

She reached into her pocket to grab the Platinum Chip, relieved that Caesar didn't take it back before he left. But then realized it wasn't there, and fumbled over her other pockets. Her heart skipped, she had to have it still!

"What the hell?"

"Looking for somethin', pussycat?" Benny asked innocently.

She saw the chip in his fingers, a ghost of a smile on his lips. She glared at him. She should have expected that coming. He really was a fox.

"Whatever, come on."

"You don't have any weapons."

She bent down to pick up the machete they used to cut their ropes. She then caught sight of a 10mm pistol on the other soldier and checked it as she picked it up. "This will work until I get my weapons back."

"Baby, I hear you're a real scrapper."

Chloe turned to him, slightly smiling. "I hear the same about you."

Before she could say anything else, the flap to the tent flipped open, and people were rushing in. Benny and Chloe aimed their weapons, but Chloe quickly lowered her arms when she realized it was just Boone, Cass, and Rex. Benny soon lowered his gun, but Chloe noticed the glare that came on his face.

"Please tell me this isn't the guy that shot you in the face, and then you slept with?" Cass heaved, shaking her head.

"Jealous, baby doll?"

"What did you call me?"

Boone grabbed Cass arm as she jerked forward. Chloe immediately came between them. "Okay! No time for this! Boone, Cass, this is Benny! Benny, this is Boone and Cass! They are the two that you so generously paid to get out of jail!" Chloe noticed how that settled Cass down a bit. "Now, if you guys don't mind to keep the Legion busy, Benny and I are running down to the substation!"

"What?" Boone grunted.

"Not even a thank you? We thought you were hurt! What about your father?"

Chloe shook her head. "They moved him to Legate's Camp…whatever that is."

Boone clenched his jaw. "The main stronghold of Caesar's force in this region. Legate Lanius is his second-in-command. It would be impossible to try and dent that place."

"That's where the Frumentarri took the old bastard too," Benny stated, glancing to Chloe.

They could tell that Chloe was upset from hearing that news, and she didn't say anything. She chewed on her lip in deep thought, tapping the pistol against her thigh. Boone stepped over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you're upset, but you'll get another chance. Right now, we only have half an hour if we want to make it out of here alive before reinforcements from Lanius come flooding this place. Whatever you have to get done down in the substation, go now."

She barely nodded at his words. They left the tent, coming out into a battlefield drenched in blood. The Fort was a mess, with fires, splatters of blood and gore, and fighting men. Chloe was glad to see the NCR soldiers winning over this battle, but knew it wouldn't be long before too many numbers would force them into retreat. She saw Raul, Lily, Veronica, ED-E, and Arcade in the battle as well, and she whistled for the Eyebot. ED-E flew right over, beeping happily.

Chloe faced Boone. "Watch out for the others. Try and help Arcade find Kyle."

Boone nodded. "I will. Watch your backs, be careful." Boone reached into his pocket, withdrawing Chloe's cell phone. He handed it over to her. "Here's this. I'll call you if it gets bad up here."

Boone pointed at Benny. "You better keep her safe and not pull any tricks."

Benny didn't falter at the animosity from the soldier. "Are ya her big brother or somethin'? Shouldn't you be following orders like the other bear boys?"

Boone stepped forward with a glare but Cass caught him. "Save it! Let's get this done!"

Cass nodded at Chloe before she and Boone headed off. Chloe, Benny, Rex, and ED-E made their way down the hill to the next camp where the substation was located.

****************************************************************************************************************

The substation turned out to be a weather monitoring station on the surface. When Benny closed the door shut behind them and they looked around, it was easy to spot the equipment and paperwork. Their run down the hill to this building proved to be more difficult than they anticipated, with slaves bolting and Legion soldiers spilling out of tents down in the next camp. Boone and Phoenix took out the most with their sniper rifles from the cliff from the first camp for them. Chloe was a bit hesitant at searching the room, glancing back at the front door and worrying about her friends. Rex sniffed around curiously. He wasn't tense anymore, so Chloe was assured that the danger had passed for now. Even ED-E was beeping curiously while scanning the room.

The room was dirty and dusty, with a couple of desks and broken down computers to one side. In the back, file dressers where lined against the wall. Chloe's thoughts were interrupted by loud thumps that sounded like hollow metal. She looked up to see Benny stomping down on what looked like a long metal hatch on the floor.

"You'd think they could be a bit more clever in hiding this," Benny sighed, walking over to the console to the right of the hatch. Chloe followed him over there, watching as he slipped the Platinum Chip into the slot. The hatch withdrew from its lock, revealing concrete stairs that led down. Benny and Chloe glanced at each other after he took the Chip back before heading down. They followed the hallway until they came to a small, rounded room with two doors that held the Lucky 38 insignia on each one.

Benny rubbed his palms together, grinning. "We're gettin' close, pussycat!"

"Let's just hope there isn't something down there that can kill us," Chloe stated, pushing the button.

The Lucky 38 doors slid open, revealing an elevator. Chloe, Benny, Rex, and ED-E entered, and the elevator descended into a new area. They had their guns ready before they even stepped out. They followed the room into the next one, where Chloe realized they were entering into a Vault.

"Why am I not surprised that you are down here with him?"

Chloe and Benny jumped, whirling around to see a large monitor screen with House's picture on it. They settled upon realizing there was no danger, but Chloe knew she would have to come up with something fast, if she could even manage to pull the wool over House's eyes.

"He has a name you know," Benny stated. "Don't be square, old man."

"You traitor! I should have had my Securitrons arrest you for what you did to me, Benjamin."

"Can you blame me? In the seven years we've known you, have we ever seen the real you? How do ya expect me to believe you're flesh 'n blood? People are startin' to wonder what you really are! And hate to break it to ya, pally, but I guarantee I ain't the only one that had plans to toss some rigged dice."

"I'm real enough to have given you and your family everything you have now! If it weren't for me, you would either be dead, slaves for the Legion, or still fighting over food and shelter amongst yourselves!"

Before Benny could retaliate, Chloe grabbed him, slapping her palm over his mouth. "Okay! Let's settle down! My Pip-Boy is picking up radiation! I would like to do whatever needs done so we can get the hell outta here! If you could just forget about Benny and tell me what you want me to do!"

"I'll tell you what needs to be done, Miss Maye, but don't be surprised if he shoots you down here and leaves you just like before. Luckily, if that happens, I have a different approach. However, I do want to remind you that doing this for me will greatly improve your chances of getting your father back alive," Mr. House replied coolly. "The Platinum Chip is actually a data storage device. I need for you to manually upload it into the bunker's main database in order for my Securitrons to receive the upgrade."

Chloe let go of Benny. "Sounds easy enough. We're on it."

"Just a moment! I can only control this monitor within this bunker. So I'm unable to disarm all of the security bots. By the looks of it, it seems as though all of them are functioning. So either you two will have to hack into the system from the computer right up ahead, or shoot them down yourself."

"Great," Benny grumbled.

"Got it," Chloe said, dipping her head at the monitor. "Let's go, Benny!"

They headed past the monitor, the cyber dog and Eyebot following right behind them. They descended the small flight of stairs into the actual Vault area. Chloe shook her head, getting that feeling she always got in Vaults. The small hallways and plain concrete walls made her feel trapped, and knowing that most of the Vaults in the wasteland were used as experiments by the government over a way to save the population when the bombs fell only furthered giving her the creeps. However, Chloe noticed how this Vault was made out to be more of a bunker, and was different from the populated Vaults across the wasteland.

They could already hear the mechanical steps of Protectrons up the hallway, along with the robotic voices that spoke when the security bots would speak. Chloe read the labels above the doors. One was the security office. They went inside, where Chloe found a few computers. The one that controlled the Protectrons was locked down, but Chloe saw she could still hack into the one that controlled the turrets. Benny watched her curiously as she typed away. In only a few minutes, she was able to disable the turret system.

"How'd you do that, baby?"

She gave a crooked smile. "Learned from the best. My dad was a scalawag all around."

"Should have known."

Chloe checked the small 10mm pistol she had taken off the dead Legion soldier's body. She only had nine bullets. "How much ammo you got?"

"Maria is a 9mm, babe. I can't share," Benny replied.

She gave him a look. "I meant that I hope you have more than I do."

Benny checked the beautiful pistol real quick. "Thirteen rounds. Legion boys took the rest of my supplies away."

"Great. I guess we'll have to make do. ED-E, go ahead and take out those Protectrons. Rex, sick 'em boy!"

The Eyebot whistled, as if excited it finally had a job to do, and whooshed away down the hallway. Rex ran along right under the robot barking loudly. Chloe and Benny followed in pursuit, coming out into a large, rectangular room. There was a walkway following the perimeter of the room, but the rest was crowded with running machinery. ED-E's lasers were taking out the Protectrons easily. Rex couldn't do much with his teeth and claws on the metal bots, but he proved to be a worthy distraction until ED-E could scrap them.

When it grew quiet, Chloe stopped Benny for a moment. "Okay, I know I asked this before, but I just have to ask it again. Why is it a bad thing for House to rule New Vegas? I mean, maybe I can convince him not to get rid of the Three Families."

"Ain't we covered this? " Benny snorted, shaking his head. "Mr. House hides New Vegas under his skirt when the bombs dropped, so it belongs to him? Forever? You buy that? Baby, every boss has a line to explain why he is special, why everyone has to do what he says. Just now figuring that out? Vegas gotta swing, baby! Gotta have pizzazz. Respect where due, but that old man is square to the core."

Chloe sighed, flicking back a strand of hair. "Okay...I'll bite...so do you have a line to explain why you're special and everyone has to do what you say?"

Benny slowly smirked, and Chloe regretted being a smartass. "Aww baby, I can show you right here and now, if ya want."

"No," she quickly replied.

Benny shrugged. "Honey, I appreciate your diplomatic approach to everything, but it doesn't always work. Sometimes to do what's right, you have to get your hands dirty. Sometimes what is right to you, is wrong to others, ya dig? I ain't no saint, never claimed to be, but my right is protecting my family, and that means House has to go."

They followed the walkway, finding four rooms holding reactors that were sparking from age. They eventually came out into another rectangular room, only this one was empty and had observation windows on each side. There were a couple of Securitrons standing on the other side of the windows on each side, all with blank screens. Benny went to the left side of the room to look out of the window. He grinned.

"Jackpot! House really does have a robot army, that clever player!"

The sight made Chloe's breath catch in her throat. There had to be hundreds of Securitrons on just this one side. It made her nauseous, because she was still unsure of House's plans. He seemed bent on protecting New Vegas, and if he was going to awaken all of these Securitrons with upgraded power, then he must want to take out the Legion and the NCR.

"My creep meter just went through the roof," Chloe sighed. "This…I don't know about this."

"Relax, baby. This is good news. This is what's going to save Vegas! We finish riggin' the odds in our favor, our dice will be ready to roll, dig?"

Benny grabbed her hand, yanking her to go on. Rex and ED-E followed them up a few more flight of stairs until they were in the control room of the bunker. While Benny dispensed the Platinum Chip into the large computer, Chloe walked over to the observation window to look down on another squadron of silent Securitrons. It seemed it only took a matter of minutes before everything went black. The whole bunker went out.

"What the fuck?" Chloe spat, jumping from the sudden blackness.

The power came back on, and Chloe could hear much more power running through the lines of the bunker. When she turned to look back outside the observation window, she had to jump back when she saw a Securitron roll over to the window to peek inside. All of the Securitrons down here had cartoon faces of grumpy soldiers smoking cigars. The upgrade had only taken a few minutes, and now it seemed as though the Securitron Army was well on its way to being ready.

Chloe slowly turned to Benny, who was getting the Platinum Chip back from the computer. He flipped it like a coin, having a boyish grin on his face.

"This 18-karat charm is hot like you, baby! Looks like our job here is done! Let's agitate the gravel before we're stuck down here for good!"

She nodded, her feet heading in his direction before her cell phone started ringing. Startled, she grabbed the sleek phone device from the Pre-War era and answered it.

"Hello?"

_"It's Boone! Chloe, you need to get your ass out of there! The reinforcements from Legate's Camp are almost here! Phoenix and Erasmus have already pulled back the NCR cover. I got your confiscated supplies and we found Kyle. Now get out of there!"_

Chloe felt her heart jump to her throat. "Alright! Just get everyone and go with Phoenix! We'll meet you at the Cove!"

"Got it. Watch your back!"

She sprinted forward, grabbed Benny's arm and spinning him around awkwardly. "Let's go! The reinforcements are almost here!"

They ran the whole way back through the bunker, with Rex and ED-E on their heels. Luckily, all of the security bots had been dealt with. When they hit the front room with House's monitor, the autocrat tried to stop them.

"Where are you two running to in such a hurry? I have my next set of orders for you, Chloe."

"Those can wait! We have to get out of the Fort before we are captured again! The others have already retreated!" Chloe yelled.

They didn't give House a chance to reply to her words before they were running to the elevator and taking it back up. Once on the level floor of the station, they darted for the front door, exiting back onto the campgrounds. Benny and Chloe stayed low, coming around the side of the building to look up the ridge to the next camp. They could see reinforcements flooding into the place, men yelling.

"Shit, we're trapped! That's the only way out!" Chloe hissed.

They were at the north end of the Fort. Their way back to the Cove was completely blocked off now. Benny grabbed her wrist, yanking her up from her crouch so they could start moving.

"Where are you going?" Chloe snapped.

"To find a way outta here, babe! Or do you want to stay here and become a slave?"

They kept to the side of the building, going around continuing north away from the main camp. They soon came to the large wall that surrounded the whole Fort made out of scrap metal and tin. Benny got to work at tearing and bending one of the sheets back. Chloe helped him try and warp the thin metal so they could slip through. Even Rex was trying to help, digging at the dirt excitedly. ED-E beeped at Chloe.

"Shh! Stay quiet, ED-E!"

ED-E gave an annoyed beep, and fired a single laser beam. The shot took out a piece of metal that was holding the sheet strongly in place. The sheet was torn from their hands in the effort to tear it back, making Chloe and Benny fall over on the dirt. Luckily, Chloe fell on top of Benny.

"What the hell?" Benny growled. "It could've at least warned us! Don't you train that thing?"

"Does it matter? It gave us our way out! Good job, ED-E!"

Chloe and Benny got to their feet, hardly dusting themselves off. Benny looked through the hole to the other side to make sure it was safe. He pulled back to face Chloe.

"Alright, this will lead us to some cliffs that overlook Lake Mead. Let's hope we can find a way down. We should be able to cross the lake to Callville Bay near Bitter Springs."

Chloe took out her cell phone. "Well, that means I better call Boone and tell him that we aren't going to make it to the Cove."

She dialed Boone's number, hearing it ring a few times before her companion answered. _"Chloe? Is everything alright?"_

"We have a change of plans. Legion's already swarming the main camp. We're heading down the northern cliffs to cross Lake Mead to Callville Bay."

_"That's near Bitter Springs. Okay, be careful. We can meet up at the 188 Trading Post."_

"Alright, take care of the others. We'll meet you there."

_"Don't worry about us. Be careful, Chloe."_

The courier pocketed the phone, nodding to Benny. "Alright, let's see if-"

"Halt there, outsiders!"

The sudden yell made them jump. Rex was barking already, and ED-E automatically opened fire on the Legion soldiers running for them. Cursing, Chloe and Benny slipped through the hole to the other side of the wall. Rex and ED-E followed, but it didn't take long for a mob of Legion to be chasing after them. They fired off rounds of ammunition that barely missed Chloe and Benny as they desperately slid down and descended rocky terrain and cliffs that towered several feet above ground. ED-E easily maneuvered through its flight, and was able to cover them as they descended. Chloe was relieved that three out of four of Rex's legs were robotic to make his footing better and prevented any wounds in the descent.

Their rabid movements down slippery rocks and jagged ledges drove them to a dead end. The overhang was suspended over the lake, with roughly a sixty foot drop to the water's surface. Peering over the edge, Chloe immediately felt a sense of vertigo come over her. Benny looked down, then up to where the Legion was coming for them.

"Ready to jump?" he asked.

"What?!" Chloe spat, eyes widening. She didn't get along well with heights. They made her freeze up.

"It's either jump or become a Legion slave, pussycat!"

"I-I don't know if-" she trailed off once she tried looking over the edge again. "Oh shit."

A bullet almost took out Benny's head. They ducked by the ledge. Rex was whining while ED-E continued to fire and take damage.

"Would you rather be crucified, babe?" Benny asked, glaring up at the closing in Legion soldiers.

"No, but-"

"Okay then, bottoms up!" Benny shoved her off the edge. She screamed as she fell. Benny looked to the dog, which watched her go over and was barking. "Fetch, Brain!"

Rex jumped off the cliff. Benny was nearly hit with another bullet, and so threw himself off of the cliff as well. ED-E whistled, whirling around and following after them in flight. They hit the water with a loud splash. The force almost knocked the air from Chloe's lungs. She felt her skin start to sting as they swam across the Lake Mead to Callville Bay. All the while, Chloe cursed and shouted threats at Benny. Rex doggy paddled beside them, looking none too pleased that he was wet and having to swim. ED-E floated over the water's surface, guiding them along towards shore while keeping an eye out. It was a long swim thanks to the size of the lake, but they finally made it across to the dock that lined Callville Bay. They climbed out of the water, drenched and tired.

Chloe collapsed onto the dirt to catch her breath with Benny doing the same next to her. Rex shook the excess water from his fur and started panting and sniffing around.

"You… fucking asshole," Chloe gasped, chest rising and falling rapidly. Despite her exhaustion, she reached over and smacked Benny hard in the chest.

"You're just mad 'cuz you didn't have the nerve to jump yourself. Besides, baby! I saved your life!" He was panting too, and trying to wring out his clothes.

"Maybe so, but you could've warned me before pitching me off of a cliff."

"Touché," Benny sighed, getting to his feet. He extended his hand out to help Chloe up.

She reached up and took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. Her legs felt wobbly still from the long drop. She also felt sore all over from the impact with the water. Worse yet, they looked like a couple of drowned rats as wet as they were.

Chloe checked her very little supplies she had on her. Her cell phone was broken from the water, and her gun was wet but nothing horrible. What she was worrying about the most was having to trek all the way to the 188 Trading Post with only ten bullets in her gun. They could handle wild dogs, geckos, feral ghouls, centaurs, and raiders easily. Chloe was worried about Nightkin, Super Mutants, Deathclaws, Night Stalkers, giant Radscorpions, and Cazadors. They didn't have the firepower or the supplies to take them. They sure as hell didn't have any anti-venom for the venomous creatures mentioned.

"You think we'll make it to the 188 Trading Post in one piece, babe?" Benny asked, smirking down at her.

"If we have to fight a Deathclaw with our bare hands, so be it," Chloe sighed, trying to be a smartass, though now she felt exhausted.

"You crazy broad," Benny stated, shaking his head. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a soaked pack of ruined cigarettes. He looked pretty disappointed over it, and it made Chloe chuckle. "Great…"

"Let's go," she laughed. "We might have to spend the night at the Post, depending on how things go."

Benny took to her side as they started walking with the cyber dog and Eyebot. "Sweet to offer, pussycat, but I was hoping for a place a bit more private."

Chloe shook her head. "Why am I not surprised to hear that come from your mouth?"

"Glad you could agree, babe."

The courier opened her mouth to quickly retaliate that remark, but then stopped herself, knowing that Benny would cleverly think of a way to turn that around on her as well. She gave him a playful glare.

"I hope your reflexes are as sharp as your tongue."

Benny tossed the ruined pack of cigarettes. "Just because I've been livin' the high life doesn't mean I ain't a scrapper. Remember I used to be a nomad? I know the Mojave Wasteland like the back of my hand, baby. I know all the good secrets in survivin' out in the middle of nowhere that only tribals know, dig?"

Chloe smiled. "Good to hear. Now let's get to that Post!"

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This story has been on fanfiction.net for years, with 20+ chapters. I will slowly move chapters over to AO3 as I have time. I gave this story a major rewrite/revision recently, and so I hope you all enjoy it! :3


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